Utilization of Biomass Energy in Cement Production: A Pathway Towards Sustainable Infrastructure

Abstract

The most consumed material after water is concrete, with billions of tons used every year. The most important component and main binder for concrete is ordinary Portland cement (OPC). The production process of OPC is highly energy intensive, and one of the major contributors to the world's anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. These high emissions are as a result of the calcination of raw materials and the burning of fossil fuels, making the production process a sustainability threat to the environment. Also, the use of fossil fuel in cement production is responsible for the high cost associated with its finished products. As the demand for cement is expected to increase exponentially in the coming years, it is paramount to find alternative ways to reduce the embodied energy and carbon of cement by the use of alternative green fuels.