The latest news on our journey to reduce CO2 emissions in the cement industry
Swerock and Cemvision Launch the Concrete of the Future With Near-Zero Emissions
The concrete of the future is here. On July 3, Swerock and Cemvision marked a significant milestone with the first casting of ready-mixed concrete with near-zero carbon dioxide emissions. The premiere took place at Swerock's factory in Malmö, where a 60-square-meter area was cast.
- Our ambition is to lead the industry's transition, says Angelika Bohlin, CEO of Swerock. It is fantastic to see that we have been part of developing a concrete that can guide the industry.
The casting in Malmö was made possible after extensive laboratory testing to find the right concrete mix. This included ensuring the concrete's fresh properties, setting time and strength development in the short and long term. The result of this premiere casting will be a surface for storing macadam at the factory site.
Today, the cement industry is responsible for about 8% of the world's annual carbon dioxide emissions. The CO2-reduced binder used in this concrete casting is a Swedish innovation from Cemvision. The company aims to use more types of residual products to avoid virgin raw materials altogether, and to electrify production instead of using fossil fuels.
- Concrete is only as green as the cement, or binder, it is mixed with, as 90% of concrete's carbon footprint comes from the cement. Seeing our green cement, Re-ment, successfully used in customers' projects shows that our innovation is ready to make a difference today, says Oscar Hållén, CEO of Cemvision.
In the longer term, the goal is to achieve an updated regulatory framework that supports concrete with lower climate impact, which would accelerate industry-wide change.
- It feels particularly great that we are the first in Sweden to use Cemvision's binder in a live project, says Angelika Bohlin. We will monitor the results of this casting and continue with relevant sampling to ensure durability over time.
It was three years ago that Swerock's new factory in Malmö opened its doors to the industry's most ambitious sustainability initiative. From the outset, the modern facility was designed and adapted for the ongoing development of products with a lower climate footprint.
- We want to be at the forefront, involved from the beginning, and influence the outcomes. Here, we have been part of the process from the start, from developing the optimal concrete recipe to conducting tests and now, finally, applying it in a live project in our operations, said Angelika Bohlin. Already this fall, we will also deliver concrete with Cemvision's Re-ment to several projects in the Malmö area.
For further information please contact:
Julia Hägglund, julia.hagglund@swerock.se, +46 707 69 56 11
Victoria Bäck press@cemvision.se, +46 702 20 05 32
About Swerock:
Swerock is one of Sweden's largest suppliers of materials and services to the construction industry. The offering includes aggregates, concrete, transportation and machinery services, as well as environmental services such as recycling, soil remediation and water treatment.
About Cemvision:
Cemvision manufactures a circular, high-performance cement that reduces CO2 emissions by up to 95% compared to traditional Portland cement. The company was founded in 2020 by experienced leaders and researchers from the cement industry and is backed by leading investors such as Bill Gate's Breakthrough Energy, Norrsken Foundation, EQT Foundation,BackingMinds, Polar Structure, and Zacua Ventures.
Photo: Dylan Di Pace
Vattenfall and Cemvision In New Cooperation to Supply Near-Zero Emission Cement
Vattenfall and Cemvision have entered an agreement (LOI) for the development and future supply of near-zero emission cement. The new cement has the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 95 per cent compared to traditional cement.
The new cement has several potential applications, such as foundations for wind power turbines, power distribution and prefabricated concrete elements. Both Vattenfall and its subcontractors could become important new customers for this innovative new product.
Cemvision develops cement made from recycled residual materials from industries including mining and steel industries manufacturing in a process where Cemvision’s kilns are fuelled by fossil-free energy. Compared to traditional cement production, which emits large amounts of carbon dioxide due to the use of virgin limestone and fossil fuels, Cemvision can reduce the carbon footprint by up to 95 per cent.
"We are delighted to deepen our partnership with Vattenfall and to welcome them to our growing customer base. Already today in our demo production, we are reducing carbon emissions by 80%, and as we optimise processes and supply chain, we will reduce by up to 95% by 2030. Near-zero emission cement is the most efficient way to achieve significant climate benefits without increasing the overall cost of a construction project. It does not have to be difficult to change, but it is important to start in time and help accelerating the transition," says Oscar Hållén, CEO of Cemvision.
"Vattenfall is very positive about participating in the development of a market for near-zero emission cement by creating demand as a customer. We can also contribute with product verification at our concrete laboratory. The global impact of cement production makes it necessary to find a way forward with as low carbon emissions as possible, the climate and the future of construction demand it. This is an innovative solution with great potential," says Annika Ramsköld, Head of Sustainability, Vattenfall.
As a member and founder of the First Movers Coalition, FMC, Vattenfall has pledged that at least 10 per cent of its cement or concrete purchases will be as close to zero emissions as possible by 2030. The FMC's overall goal is to take climate action by creating a market for emerging technologies that are crucial to reaching near-zero emissions by 2050.
Peab Intensifies Partnership With Cemvision on Green Cement
The Stockholm-based startup Cemvision and leading Nordic construction company Peab have entered into a product delivery agreement starting immediately. The deepened collaboration marks an important milestone for the concrete industry in the Nordics. Over the coming years, Peab will use Cemvision's ultra-low carbon cement in several of its projects.
Today, the cement industry accounts for 8 percent of global CO2 emissions. Cemvision has developed a cement that reduces carbon dioxide emissions by over 95 percent compared to traditional cement by replacing limestone and fossil fuels with refined industrial waste and green energy. The Swedish company is backed by several major Swedish and international investors and was named one of the world's most innovative companies by the American magazine Fast Company earlier this year.
"Future binders for concrete are circular and decarbonized. Cemvision’s emerging products are completely in line with what customers demand", says Ludwig Zetterström, CEO of Swecem, Peab’s subsidiary specialized in sustainable binders.
The Peab group, besides Swecem, also includes Swerock, one of Sweden's leading concrete suppliers. The upcoming deliveries from Cemvision are planned to supply various projects such as infrastructure projects, water treatment, foundation work, and prefabricated concrete. By securing the supply of green cement, Peab actively
contributes to the construction industry's climate transition.
"We are thrilled to be able to deliver our product to Peab. We see that green cement has become crucial for entire industries to be able to meet their climate commitments. The demand is already enormous and all forecasts indicate that it will only increase. We address this with a rapidly scalable production model", says Oscar Hållén, CEO of Cemvision.
Alongside other investors, Peab, through Swecem, has supported Cemvision since the beginning. To now enter into a product delivery agreement marks a significant milestone for the concrete industry in the Nordics, says Ludwig Zetterström.
"We see that Cemvision's products will play an important role in the concrete industry's pursuit of climate neutrality, alongside the cement industry's investment in carbon capture and storage, CCS. As one of Northern Europe’s largest cement customers, we have a responsibility to support startups like Cemvision in their development of innovative binders. It is crucial for us to implement and bring these new solutions to the market through our concrete manufacturing companies", says Ludwig Zetterström, CEO of the Peab subsidiary.
About Peab
Peab is a Nordic construction group with 14 000 employees and a turnover of 57 billion SEK. With local presence and focus on our own resources, we develop, construct, and build everyday life where it is lived. The headquarters is located in Förslöv on the Bjäre Peninsula in Skåne. The stock is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.
About Swecem
Swecem is a subsidiary of Peab that manufactures climate-effective binders for the entire concrete industry. Swecem's vision and goal is that in ten years there will be completely climate-neutral concrete on the Swedish market and that all concrete in Sweden will be climate-neutral by 2045. Read more at swecem.se.
Cemvision Raises €10 Million to Scale Green Cement
Cemvision has secured a record €10 million in seed funding, the largest known in the cement industry to date. The priority is now to double both team and production capacity. This will lay the groundwork for the next phase: investing in new cement plants to bring more green cement to the global market.
In June 2023, Cemvision transitioned from pilot to demonstration production levels, marking an important milestone as a startup. At the end of that year, Cemvision signed its first commercial contract with LKAB, a Swedish state-owned mining company. This agreement marks the first kick-off deliveries of green cement from Cemvision's new demonstration facility. The recent closure of the €10 million seed funding round further strengthens Cemvision’s commitment to scaling up its green cement production.
"This milestone demonstrates that we continue to have the confidence and support from both existing and new investors to keep growing. This investment allows us to expand both our team and production capacity to accommodate our current priority: delivering our green cement to our first customers", says Oscar Hållén, CEO of Cemvision.
The €10 million seed funding was led by existing investors BackingMinds and Polar Structure, with additional contribution from new investor Zacua Ventures, which specializes in sustainable construction projects.
"Cemvision's potential is nothing short of extraordinary - the company is ready to lead the cement industry's evolution towards zero emissions. With a top-class team that combines heavy industrial experience with a fresh approach, they are ready to significantly shake things up. We are incredibly excited to embark on this journey together with the team and our highly respected co-investors", says Juan Nieto, General Partner at Zacua Ventures.
The global cement market, valued at nearly $400 billion and responsible for 8% of worldwide carbon emissions, presents a significant climate challenge but also opportunity for change. And the demand for change is larger than what Cemvision currently has capacity for. The funds will be used to strategically scale in 2024 by expanding both the workforce and production capabilities of the company. The current team of 15 employees is set to at least double, and the production capacity is planned to increase from 4,000 tons to over 10,000 tons annually.
“To meet the significant demand for our green cement, these expansions will position us well for the next step as we continue to build out our production capacity. A major advantage for Cemvision is our ability to leverage existing infrastructure as we continue to scale.”, says Hållén, CEO.
Read more about the seed funding here:
About Cemvision
Cemvision offers an alternative to traditional Portland cement, reducing CO2 emissions by over 95% while maintaining durability and performance. It is produced using raw materials recycled from industrial waste and kilns powered by green energy at much lower temperatures. Cemvision's cement achieves early strength up to 5 times faster than Portland cement, enabling increased productivity. The company was founded by three experienced leaders from major global cement giants.
Cemvision Listed One of Fast Company’s Top 10 Most Innovative in 2024
Cemvision is recognized by Fast Company’s annual list of the Most Innovative Companies, a title shared with industry leaders like Nvidia, OpenAI, and Microsoft. In its category, Cemvision is named one of the top 10 innovators for “industrializing a circular method of cement production”.
Cemvision has earned a spot on Fast Company’s prestigious list which annually identifies companies that significantly impact society through innovation and remarkable milestones. Cemvision’s inclusion in the Urban Development and Real Estate category as one of top 10 influencers underscores its commitment to reshaping the built environment with its cutting-edge Re-ment- the carbon-free and circular cement alternative.
“We are very proud to be picked up by Fast Company as one of the top innovators in our field. It is very satisfying to see increasing awareness around the challenges of the construction industry, and even more so to see our innovation acknowledged as a game-changer - not only to the industry but to society as a whole”, says Oscar Hållén, CEO of Cemvision.
Fast Company reported on the challenges faced by the real estate sector during last year, characterized by financial insecurities that threatened to hamper the innovation and design of our cities. Against this backdrop, Cemvision was recognized for its pioneering efforts by industrializing a circular method of cement production.
Fast Company remarks “Swedish firm Cemvision has devised a cement process utilizing industrial by-products from steelmaking and mining—basically recycled industrial waste—instead of virgin limestone. This not only makes the process more circular, it also cuts down on the emissions released from the traditional process of heating limestone. It makes cement-mixing much more energy-efficient, too—it can electrify the heating production process via plasma technology or hydrogen instead of having to rely on polluting fossil fuel for industrial heat.”
However, the challenges extend beyond real estate to all construction projects where cement is used through its uptake in concrete. Today, cement production is responsible for 8% of global carbon emissions, making it one of the most polluting industries worldwide. The urgency to address this issue is compounded by projections that approximately 75% of the infrastructure needed by 2050 has yet to be built, along with 40% of new buildings.
These figures highlight the significant environmental challenges facing the entire construction industry, as well as the need for innovative disruption. Cemvision's pioneering approach, as Fast Company noted, involves creating a new formula for cement binders that eliminates the need for “Carbon Capture and Storage” (CCS) technology. In this way, Cemvision’s cement reduces emissions by 95% compared to traditional Portland cement, and offers a less energy-intensive and more cost-effective solution.
“If we are truly committed to reaching our climate goals, we must significantly lower our CO2 emissions across the board. As a climate-first company, we have developed a cement that not only significantly reduces emissions but also enhances resource and energy efficiency. Our distinctive advantage is that our technology is market-ready and can start making a positive impact today”, remarks Hållén, CEO.
About Cemvision
Cemvision offers an alternative to traditional Portland cement, reducing CO2 emissions by over 95% while maintaining durability and performance. It is produced using raw materials recycled from industrial waste and kilns powered by green energy at much lower temperatures. Cemvision's cement achieves early strength up to 5 times faster than Portland cement, enabling increased productivity. The company was founded by three experienced leaders from major global cement giants.
About Fast Company
Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at Fastcompany.com.
Sweden’s LKAB Signs Green Cement Deal With EQT-Backed Startup
Swedish state-owned miner LKAB AB has signed a contract with a startup company to supply it with so-called green cement, a product that strips out emission-heavy limestone and heating from the manufacturing process.
Cemvision AB — which is backed by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Norrsken and EQT — said the deal with LKAB marks the manufacturer’s first commercial agreement, with pilot deliveries scheduled to begin in March, according to a statement.
The cement industry is one of the most polluting sectors, accounting for about 8% of global emissions. Cemvision says its product will slash carbon emissions by 95% compared to traditional methods. Its cement is currently being made in a demo plant in southern Poland, with capacity for 4,000 metric tons per year. By 2030, the company aims to produce 5 million tons annually.
“Over the next four years, we will sign and operationalize a large number of commercial contracts and reach significant scale in the market,” Cemvision Chief Executive Officer Oscar Hallen said.
Hallen says the company is in the process of raising new capital to set up the necessary organization and infrastructure to operate plants in Europe and the US.
There’s “a significant funding need” over the coming years, he said.
Cemvision Featured on Prestigious Innovation List (Swedish)
The tech paper NyTeknik appoints Sweden's best technology startups every year in what is known as the "33 list".
For the sixteenth year in a row, Ny Teknik has named Sweden's 33 best, most innovative, and promising new technology companies and this year we are very proud that Cemvision is doing its premier on the prestigious list.
This is what Ny Teknik themselves say about the list:
The 33 companies on the list are the Swedish young technology companies that are most interesting right now.
They have the potential to change their industries and play an important role in technological shifts in society.
And about Cemvision:
Cement accounts for nearly eight percent of the world's carbon dioxide emissions today. In November, Cemvision starts demo production of its green cement - completely without carbon dioxide emissions. At the same time, trials are underway with cement and concrete users. The goal is to cut emissions in the cement industry, which today accounts for nearly eight percent of the world's carbon dioxide emissions.
- To say that we are the Tesla of the cement industry sounds cliché, but we are also a player that wants to accelerate the green transformation with new solutions in a traditional industry, says co-founder Claes Kollberg.
The cement stirrer "mixes with chemistry" in new cement recipes where the raw materials are recycled from industrial waste and the kilns are powered by green electricity.
The details are not disclosed. But the technology, the business potential, and the founders have been given the thumbs up by Bill Gates' climate fund Breakthrough Energy Fellows. The fund finances research, development, pilot, and demo trials for two years.
Winners of 2023 Startup 4 Climate
Among 8 shortlisted climate startups, Cemvision made it all the way as one of the winners in this year's Startup 4 Climate.
The annual Startup 4 Climate is one of Europe's leading startup competitions, premiering innovative technologies that can drive real change to tackle climate change and lead the energy transition.
The prize of 1 million SEK will be put to good use
As we are currently ramping up our production, moving from pilot scale to demo scale, the prize money will be put to good use financing part of the production and initial electrification trials, says Oscar Hållén, CEO
Swedish Startup: We Are the Tesla of the Cement Industry
In November, Cemvision starts demo production of green cement – completely without carbon dioxide emissions. The facility is financed by Bill Gates, who will support the Swedish startup for one more year.
Claes Kollberg was well aware that the cement industry was a major climate villain when he was a freshly graduated engineer. That’s why he applied to Cementa, as the company was called then.
– I wanted to enter the worst industry and try to make a difference. Also, I wanted to work in Africa, where I had done my master thesis, and at KTH’s job market days, Cementa had a map with lots of dots in Africa, he says.
We meet in Degerhamn on Öland at Cementa’s former cement factory. The autumn wind is chilling; the enclosed area looks deserted. Heidelberg Materials, as the company is now called, has ceased its operations in the plant. But when Claes Kollberg started here as a trainee in 2002, production was in full swing, and carbon dioxide was billowing from the chimney. When he left the company 15 years later, he was factory manager. In the meantime, he spent five years in Africa to build and renovate cement factories in Tanzania and Gabon. He also started algae farming in Morocco, where the algae were fed with carbon dioxide from a factory’s flue gases.
Indeed, emissions were reduced during his years at the company. But in 2018, Claes Kollberg chose to go to Vattenfall and the Swedish green steel venture Hybrit.
– I wanted to work in an industry where the development towards fossil-free moved faster, he says.
Two years later, he made a comeback in the cement industry. This time, as co-founder of Cemvision, which he started with Paul Sandberg and Marcus Olsson, who also have heavy backgrounds in the cement business. Their inspiration came from how Tesla managed to accelerate the fossil-loving automotive industry.
– To say that we are the Tesla of the cement industry might sound cliché. Still, we are also a player who wants to accelerate the green transformation with new solutions in a traditional industry, says Claes Kollberg.
Cemvision’s solution is to “mix with the chemistry” in new cement recipes without virgin limestone, which is the problematic ingredient in common so-called Portland cement. When limestone is heated, carbon dioxide bound in the Earth’s crust for millions of years is released. Additional emissions come from enormous kilns heated with fossil fuels.
– Our raw materials are recycled from industrial waste, the temperature and energy consumption are significantly lower than in traditional cement production, and our kilns will be powered by green electricity, summarizes Claes Kollberg.
Otherwise, the company is secretive about the details. But the technology has been reviewed by heavy experts, who gave the thumbs up. Among thousands of applicants, Cemvision receives support from Bill Gates’ climate fund Breakthrough Energy. This is after extensive due diligence of technology, business potential, and founders.
The fund finances Cemvision’s research, development, pilot, and demo trials for two years starting September 2022. In addition, the company gains access to a large expert network. Last summer, an important milestone was reached when the company produced its first fossil-free cement clinkers on a larger scale – one ton per day – entirely based on recycled material from the mining and steel industries.
In November, a larger demo plant will be operated at a secret location in Central Europe. In addition to the rotary kiln, the facility includes all the process steps in a small cement factory with the capacity to produce 12 tons per day.
The next technical challenge is to electrify the kilns. Plasma technology and hydrogen will be tested, for example. At the same time, trial castings are underway in cooperation with concrete manufacturers and users. The partners' names are not public except for the Nordic constructor Peab, whose subsidiary Swecem has invested in Cemvision.
Since last year, the number of employees has increased from four to twelve, and Claes Kollberg hopes to have significantly more colleagues joining soon. The company wants to raise around 10-12 million euros to build the organization required for a large-scale cement producer.
– Our ambition is to produce 5 million tons of cement by 2030 and grow globally, says Claes Kollberg.
However, the company will never be able to replace all the Portland cement worldwide. The by-products used as raw materials will “only” suffice for 25 percent of global production. Claes Kollberg is therefore clear that more solutions are needed to reduce the cement industry’s emissions, including capture and storage of carbon dioxide, CCS, which Heidelberg Materials wants to invest billions of Swedish kronor in.
– We support everyone who does something instead of just talking. But CCS is far too expensive and energy-intensive to be a realistic alternative in, for example, Africa, where the most construction is taking place.
Where will your first factory be located?
– The fastest way to get started is to use existing cement factories that are not in operation or where the limestone is running out. There, the environmental permits are in place, and the staff is trained.
As here in Degerhamn?
– Anyone who owns factories that are not in operation is welcome to contact us, says Claes Kollberg diplomatically and continues:
– We need to get started quickly to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Humanity’s survival depends on it.
Pilot Production of 100% Circular, CO2-Free, Fossil-Free Cement
Swedish CemVision has completed largescale pilot production of fossil-free cement.
The results indicate huge reductions in the cement industry’s carbon dioxide emissions.
Swedish tech company Cemvision, which develops technology for the production of environmentally friendly cement, has now produced large-scale volumes of fossil-free cement based entirely on recycled materials from primarily the mining and steel industries. The result enables the production of what is potentially the market’s most climate-friendly cement. The cement industry accounts for 8 percent of global emissions, an estimated 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually, a figure that can be quickly reduced with the help of Cemvision’s technology.
Cemvision has produced fossil-free cement in its pilot plant, which has a capacity of several hundred tons per year. Test production is now moving to the company’s demo facility, with an annual capacity of several thousand tons of cement. In the following step, Cemvision invites collaborations to scale up production to hundreds of thousands of tons and, with it, almost as large savings in carbon dioxide emissions.
- We are a climate-first company making high-performance cement. With our competence and experience, it is our duty to produce the most environmentally friendly cement for each application to help in the battle against climate change, says Claes Kollberg, co-founder and CTO, Cemvision.
According to Cemvision’s method, the solution for fossil-free cement is to let other industries’ residual materials become high-value raw materials, which is both resource-efficient and means that carbon dioxide emissions are completely avoided. Manufacturing cement also requires high temperatures to process the raw materials. Cemvision’s solution enables the use of green electricity instead of coal or other fossil energy sources that the industry uses today. Thanks to raw materials other than limestone, the total energy consumption in Cemvision’s production is also significantly lower than in traditional cement production.
Cemvision’s cement can be used as a drop-in product to help traditional cement manufacturer reduce their carbon footprint, or used as a stand-alone cement product
to replace traditional cement and consequently provide a completely fossil-free alternative.
- The cement industry’s climate impact is a huge global problem. In the short term, there is no alternative to replace the world’s need for cement, the main ingredient in concrete and the world’s most used building material. Instead, we have now proven that it is possible to produce cement with new methods and other raw materials, by successfully producing large volumes of cement with minimal emissions, says Oscar Hållén, CEO of Cemvision.
large-scaleTest results from the large scale pilot production show both cost and performance benefits. The product’s properties show early high-strength development, which can enable faster and new ways of building. It also means that the amount of cement can be reduced in concrete constructions which also affects the industry’s emissions.