In ndia is the second largest market for cement industries, both with respect to production as well as consumption. As of 2017-18, our current cement production capacity is 455 MTPA. Capacity addition of 18-22 MTPA is expected by the end of 2018-19. The demand for cement in India is attributed to three main sectors i.e. Housing and Real Estate, Public Infrastructure and Industrial Development. The factors that will lead to increase in demand from these sectors include:

• Government initiatives like Housing for All
• Rapid growth in real estate market
• Strong growth in rural housing and low-cost housing
• Strong economic growth leading to growth of the industrial and infrastructure sectors
In the year 2014, a project was proposed by a group of research and implementation organisations for research and development funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The objective of this project was to develop LC³ as a standard and mainstream general-use cement in the global cement market through testing and standardisation.

Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC³) is a low-carbon cement developed by the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, IIT-Delhi, IIT-Bombay, Technology and Action for Rural Development (TARA), IIT-Madras and the Central University of Las Villas (Cuba). It stemmed from research by the Ecole Polytechnique de Lausanne. It is the result of an ongoing cooperation between EPFL and partners in India and Cuba on developing low carbon and resource efficient raw materials for cement manufacturing.

The main research activities focus not only on specific thematic areas of cement research such as hydrate assemblages, pore structure, rheology, reactivity, durability and mechanical properties but also on production, environmental sustainability and cost effectiveness of this new cement.

What makes LC³ unique?

LC³ is a new type of cement that is based on a blend of limestone and calcined clay. Contributing to five out of twelve Sustainable Development Goals, LC³ can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 30%. It is made using limestone and low-grade clays which are available in abundant quantities, is cost effective and does not require capital intensive modifications to existing cement plants.

What makes LC³ a real and viable solution for Low Carbon Cement that can be used on a global scale?

• LC³ can be produced with existing manufacturing equipment leading to only marginally increased investments for calcining equipment
• Low cost of production
• Reduced clinker content, reduced fuel consumption for calcination compared to clinker contribute to lowering the production cost
• Clinker – Limestone systems and Clinker – Calcined Clay systems are already well established. LC³ is not about inventing a new technology but optimising the synergy between two already known chemical systems.

Being the sole implementation partner in the project, the journey of Technology and Action for Rural Development (TARA), Development Alternative Group’s social enterprise wing started from research and then moved to implementation which included lab research, pilot production to bulk production at globally renowned cement industries like UltraTech and JK Lakshmi and product development such as paver blocks etc. TARA has played a crucial role in establishing this technology on the global platform and standardising the technology for the global market. TARA also plans to transfer this precious technology further through LC³ Technology Resource Center, by providing consultancy services to industries there by leading the world towards a greener path. ■