Enviro‐Economic Cement Production With Minimal CO 2 Emissions: Implications to Net Zero Emissions

ABSTRACT The ReAct Cement process represents a significant advancement in sustainable cement manufacturing and offers a practical pathway toward low‐carbon or near‐zero‐carbon cement. In this process, reactive calcium oxide (CaO) is utilized during the secondary production stage to facilitate in situ CO 2 mineralization, enabling the formation of a high‐performance cement product without compromising durability or strength. The system integrates monoethanolamine (MEA)‐based post‐combustion CO 2 capture with advanced heat‐transfer exchangers, fuel‐efficient rotary kilns, and air‐preheating technologies. Together, these units enhance thermal integration, reduce kiln fuel demand, and enable the captured CO 2 to be reused directly within clinker formation, thereby closing the carbon cycle within the process itself. The ReAct configuration leverages natural gas and extensive waste‐heat recovery from flue gases, reducing overall CO 2 emissions from combustion by approximately 30%–35%, whereas the combined effect of CO 2 capture and in‐process mineralization achieves an additional reduction of around 60%. By converting remaining process emissions into mineralized cementitious phases, the system has the potential to achieve net‐zero or near‐zero CO 2 output from cement production. The approach also yields economic benefits by lowering fuel consumption, improving thermal efficiency, and utilizing resources that would otherwise be lost to the environment. Overall, this research demonstrates a technically feasible and environmentally transformative approach for decarbonizing cement production and contributes meaningfully to global efforts aimed at achieving a net‐zero future for the construction materials sector.