TED Talks Daily A concrete plan for sustainable cement | Ryan Gilliam
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Mar 13, 2025 Ryan Gilliam, a clean tech innovator and serial entrepreneur, reveals his groundbreaking approach to tackling cement's significant carbon footprint. He discusses how his company transforms waste from cement production back into limestone, making it a sustainable and competitive alternative. Gilliam emphasizes the importance of collaborating with traditional industries to create eco-friendly building materials that can dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. His vision could revolutionize the cement industry and pave the way for large-scale climate solutions.
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Cement's Impact and Solution
- Cement is the second most consumed material on Earth, after water, and accounts for 8% of global CO2 emissions.
- To reduce these emissions, focus on technologies that work within the existing cement ecosystem, leveraging current infrastructure and regulations.
Limestone and CO2
- Limestone, the main ingredient in cement, is 44% CO2 by weight.
- Making cement involves heating limestone to extreme temperatures, releasing this CO2 and adding to emissions from fuel.
Calera's Approach
- Calera, a previous company, developed a process inspired by nature to create cement by absorbing CO2.
- While technically successful, the process wasn't economically competitive.