Turning cement production into a carbon sink.

The international research project CarbonCrete+ – CO₂-Free Clinker and Carbon-Negative Building Materials has been awarded funding through the Clean Energy Transition Partnership (CETP). Coordinated by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, the project will demonstrate a world-first integrated value chain that can transform cement and concrete production from a major source of emissions into a carbon sink. 

The cement industry accounts for a significant share of global CO₂ emissions and remains one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise. CarbonCrete+ is the first project to integrate CO₂-free clinker production, high-purity carbon capture directly at source and large-scale mineralisation of captured CO₂ into aggregates, binders and concrete within a single operational value chain. 

By treating captured carbon dioxide as a resource rather than waste, the project will demonstrate a circular production model in which emissions are converted into valuable construction materials. 

"RISE contributes with research, testing and a systems perspective to accelerate the transition to a sustainable society. CarbonCrete+ is an example of how international collaboration can turn research into practical solutions by developing and demonstrating technologies that reduce the climate impact of the construction sector," says Jan Suchorzewski, Market manager at RISE and Coordinator of the CarbonCrete+ project. 
 
If successful, the project could pave the way for substantially lower emissions from cement production while enabling long-term carbon storage in buildings and infrastructure. It also has the potential to support a more circular use of industrial residues and improve the cost-efficiency of carbon capture. 

The consortium brings together partners from Sweden, France, the Netherlands and India, covering the entire value chain—from electrified clinker production and CO₂ mineralisation to cement manufacturing, materials research and industrial validation. The partners are RISE, SaltX Technology, Holcim Innovation Center, Paebbl, Université Gustave Eiffel, CSIR–Central Building Research Institute and the National Council for Cement and Building Materials. 

CarbonCrete+ will run for 36 months from autumn 2026 with a total budget of EUR 4.2 million. The project is co-funded by the Swedish Energy Agency, ANR (France) and DST (India). 

Contact 

Jan Suchorzewski 
Market manager at RISE  
jan.suchorzewski@ri.se 
+46 10 516 68 02