Siemens Infrastructure Transition Monitor recently surveyed 1400 senior executives on decarbonisation, with some 65 per cent identifying electrification as the most effective lever to achieve net zero targets. The cement sector has seen advances in this technology and partnerships developing to bring this technology to scale. But we are still awaiting the first fully electrified cement plant in Europe. Can barriers to this technology be lowered to see it become a go-to technology for decarbonisation in the cement sector?
For the cement industry, 100 per cent electrification means electrified calcination to produce clinker without fossil fuels. This is a long-term objective. Heating raw materials for clinker production is the most energy-intensive process in cement production. Several heating technologies are available, such as resistance heating, plasma heating, and microwave heating, which are being scaled up in projects. “Resistance heating and solar-based heating” are cited as the leading candidates for large-scale deployment, according to Sayee Srikarah Volaity, Arizona University and Bryan K Aylas-Paredes at the Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Barriers to electrification at scale
The main barriers to implementing electrification are well-known. Heidelberg Materials claims that plasma generators fed with renewable energy can top out at approximately 8MW, which is a major challenge when a full-scale 1Mta cement plant will need 170MW. So, multiple plasma generators might be needed to fully electrify a cement plant. Furthermore, renewable energy is not always going to be available for plasma generators in every part of the world. It's also clear that any new technology comes with a high price tag. Schneider Electric has also argued that resistive elements exposed to extreme temperatures and industrial atmospheres will lead to shorter lifetimes and higher maintenance of these systems.
Full electrification may be more suitable for clay calcination, which requires lower calcination temperatures of around 1000°C. Fuller Technologies is already working on EcoClay™ with industry partners to reduce CO2 emissions from cement production by 50 per cent by replacing fossil fuels in clay calcination with fully electrified processes. The ambitious project aims to establish the first full-scale electric clay calcination plant in Europe by mid-2026.
Collaboration is key
Collaborations and research papers from academia have been pushing the development of electrification in recent years; other players include Florida University, VTT, VDZ, the Electric Calcination Research Centre in Hofors, Sweden, to name a few. The leading exponents of electrification technology on a commercial level are SaltX Technology, Coolbrook, Kanthal, PyroGenesis Inc, Vattenfall and Cemvision. These technology providers are also being partnered with experienced cement industry suppliers and producers to scale up their technologies. thyssenKrupp Polysius, Schneider Electric, KHD Humboldt Wedag, ABB, Sumitomo Shi FW Engeneria, while cement producers are already among those championing electrification.
Main electrification projects
A total of 17 partners from eight countries are engaged in the EU-funded Electra project that is pioneering electrification for the cement, lime and pulp industries. Initial tests in February 2025 at Heidelberg Materials’ Slite cement (300kW kiln), where the exit gases have been almost pure CO2, which can be removed by carbon capture. The plasma technology heats CO2 initially to over 5000°C, where it becomes a plasma jet. As no fuel is involved, the product has no ash, and clinker quality is higher than conventional OPC. The radiant heat is low, and raw materials are heated mainly by conduction and convection. In March 2026, Heidelberg Materials reported that it would significantly scale down clinker production at Skövde, Sweden, by 2027. However, Heidelberg Materials will use it as a test facility and is expected to have its first 1MW commercial plasma kiln at Skövde.
There is similar excitement about Holcim’s collaboration with SaltX Technology, which aims to have an electrified kiln in Europe by 2028. This process will use SaltX Technology’s electrified calcination (EAC) with electrified sintering – a two-step processing solution.
Calix's pilot-scale BatMn reactor project proved that electrifying the Leilac novel calciner with indirect heating is possible. Fuel switching with renewable energy and hydrogen has also been tested successfully.
PyroGenesis Inc has caught the attention of the cement sector, having announced in September 2025 that it has an order for an all-electric plasma process for a European cement producer with delivery scheduled for the 1Q26. The company has already manufactured a 20MW plasma torch in 2024.
In November 2025, Adani Cement said it is working with Coolbrook’s RotoDynamic Heater technology to develop electrified cement production at its Boyareddypalli cement plant in India. Coolbrook’s RotoDynamic Heater can be fitted to different parts of the cement production process to partially electrify the plant.
Schwenk Zement and thyssenkrupp Polysius are collaborating on meca clay (mechano-chemical activation) production with an all-electrified clay activation process at the Allmendingen cement plant in Germany. No heating is required to produce this clinker substitute.
Clean sustainable cement – in touching distance?
The technology and know-how for electrifying the cement sector are available, but not at scale. Therefore, the industry cannot fully commit yet. Moreover, there are lower-hanging fruit to decarbonise the cement process, such as alternative fuels and cementitious cements. However, the fact that so many companies have collaborated to bring this solution to its current level, and the funding available to develop and stabilise the technologies, demonstrates electrification’s potential. Indeed, if plasma calciners can generate 170MW, there is high potential for the complete plasma technology companies to grow and expand their business models. Clean, sustainable and fossil-free cement production would then be on its way.
