The Ministry of Science and Technology of India, through the Department of Science and Technology (DST), has launched a national initiative to establish five Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) testbeds focused on the cement industry. This public-private partnership aims to reduce carbon emissions from this hard-to-abate sector, supporting India's climate action goals and its target of achieving a carbon-neutral economy by 2070. These testbeds, located at various academic and industrial sites across India, will explore diverse CCU technologies, including CO2 capture and conversion into valuable products like concrete aggregates and synthetic fuels. The initiative seeks to foster research and development in the CCUS domain, facilitate the deployment of innovative CCU technologies in industrial settings, and ultimately contribute to the decarbonization of the cement sector, aiding in the achievement of national net-zero targets. Participating institutions include the National Council for Cement and Building Materials, IIT Kanpur, IIT Bombay, CSIR-IIP, IIT Tirupati, IISc, IIT Madras, and BITS Pilani, Goa, in collaboration with cement companies such as JK Cement Ltd, JSW Cement, Dalmia Cement, and Ultratech Cement.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Science Technology India: The government ministry responsible for science and technology initiatives in India.
CCU: Carbon Capture and Utilisation, a process for reducing carbon emissions.
PIB Delhi: Press Information Bureau, Delhi - the source of the press release.
Department of Science and Technology DST: A department of the Indian government focused on promoting science and technology.
Carbon Capture and Utilisation CCU testbeds: Five testbeds in the cement sector for research and innovation in carbon capture and utilization.
India's Climate Action: The country's overall efforts to address climate change.
National Determined Contributions NDCs: Targets set by India as part of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
Net Zero Goals: The objective of achieving a balance between greenhouse gas emissions produced and greenhouse gas emissions taken out of the atmosphere.
Cement, Steel, Power, Oil Natural Gas, Chemicals Fertilizers: Hard-to-abate sectors that can benefit from CCU technology.
RD: Research and development in the CCUS domain.
CCUS: Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage.
Energy and Sustainable Technology CEST Division: A division of the Department (DST) that launched a call for proposals on CCU in the cement sector.
AcademiaIndustry Consortia: Collaborations between academic institutions and industries for deploying CCU technology.
Public Private Partnership PPP: A funding model used to develop and deploy innovative CCU Test beds in the Cement Sector.
National Technology Day: A day of celebration on 11th May.
Dr. Jitendra Singh: Union Minister of State Independent Charge for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
Prof. Abhay Karandikar: Secretary DST.
Secretary DBT Dr Rajesh Gokhale: Secretary of Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
Dr Ajai Choudhary: Co-Founder HCL.
Dr. Rajesh Pathak: Secretary, TDB (Technology Development Board).
Dr Anita Gupta: Head CEST, DST.
Dr Neelima Alam: Associate Head, DST.
Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi: The location where the program was organized.
Ballabhgarh, Haryana: Location of the first testbed.
National Council for Cement and Building Materials: An organization where a pilot plant aims to capture CO2.
JK Cement Ltd: Partner for the first testbed.
IIT Kanpur: Partner for the second testbed.
JSW Cement: Partner for the second and fourth testbeds.
IIT Bombay: Partner for the third testbed.
Dalmia Cement: Partner for the third testbed.
CSIRIIP: Partner for the fourth testbed.
IIT Tirupati: Partner for the fourth testbed.
IISc: Partner for the fourth testbed.
IIT Madras: Partner for the fifth testbed.
BITS Pilani, Goa: Partner for the fifth testbed.
Ultratech Cement: Partner for the fifth testbed.
Ministry of Science & Technology
India launches first cluster of CCU testbeds in
academia-industry collaboration for cement industry
Posted On: 14 MAY 2025 3:37PM by PIB Delhi
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) recently unveiled a pioneering national initiative: five
Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) testbeds in the cement sector, forming a first-of-its-kind research
and innovation cluster to combat industrial carbon emissions.
This is a significant step towards India’s Climate Action for fostering National Determined Contributions
(NDCs) targets and to achieve net zero decarbonisation pathways for Industry Transition., towards the
Government’s goal to achieve a carbon-neutral economy by 2070.
Carbon Capture Utilisation (CCU) holds significant importance in hard-to-abate sectors like Cement, Steel,
Power, Oil &Natural Gas, Chemicals & Fertilizers in reducing emissions by capturing carbon dioxide from
industrial processes and converting it to value add products such as synthetic fuels, Urea, Soda, Ash,
chemicals, food grade CO2 or concrete aggregates. CCU provides a feasible pathway for these tough to
decarbonise industries to lower their carbon footprint and move towards achieving Net Zero Goals while
continuing their operations efficiently. DST has taken major strides in fostering R&D in the CCUS domain.
Concrete is vital for India’s economy and the Cement industry being one of the main hard-to-abate sectors, is
committed to align with the national decarbonisation commitments. New technologies to decarbonise
emission intensity of the cement sector would play a key role in achieving of national net zero targets.
Recognizing the critical need for decarbonising the Cement sector, the Energy and Sustainable Technology
(CEST) Division of Department launched a unique call for mobilising Academia-Industry Consortia proposals
for deployment of Carbon Capture Utilisation (CCU) in Cement Sector. This Special call envisaged to
develop and deploy innovative CCU Test bed in Cement Sector with thrust on Developing CO2 capture +
CO2 Utilization integrated unit in an Industrial set up through an innovative Public Private Partnership (PPP)
funding model.
As a unique initiative and one of its first kind in India, DST has approved setting up of five CCU testbeds for
translational R&D, to be set up in Academia-Industry collaboration under this significant initiative of DST in
PPP mode, engaging with premier research laboratories as knowledge partners and top Cement companies as
the industry partner.
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On the occasion of National Technology Day celebrations, on 11 May 2025 the 5 CCU Cement Test beds
were announced and grants had been handed over to the Test bed teams by the Chief Guest, Union Minister of
State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO,
Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra
Singh in the presence of Secretary DST Prof. Abhay Karandikar.
The five testbeds are not just academic experiments — they are collaborative industrial pilot projects bringing
together India’s top research institutions and leading cement manufacturers under a unique Public-Private
Partnership (PPP) model. Each testbed addresses a different facet of CCU, from cutting-edge catalysis to
vacuum-based gas separation.
The outcomes of this innovative initiative will not only showcase the pathways of decarbonisation towards
Net zero goals through CCU route in cement sector, but should also be a critical confidence building measure
for potential stakeholders to uptake the deployed CCU technology for further scale up and commercialisation.
It is envisioned that through continuous research and innovation under these test beds in developinginnovative catalysts, materials, electrolyser technology, reactors, and electronics, the cost of Green Cement
via the deployed CCU technology in Cement Sector may considerably be made more sustainable.
Secretary DBT Dr Rajesh Gokhale, Dr Ajai Choudhary, Co-Founder HCL, Dr. Rajesh Pathak, Secretary,
TDB, Dr Anita Gupta Head CEST, DST and Dr Neelima Alam, Associate Head, DST were also present at the
programme organized at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.
A snapshot of the five testbeds:
Testbed-1: Ballabhgarh, Haryana: At the National Council for Cement and Building Materials, a pilot plant
aims to capture 2 tonnes per day of CO₂ using oxygen-enhanced calcination and transform it into lightweight
concrete blocks and olefins. Partner: JK Cement Ltd.
Testbed-2: IIT Kanpur + JSW Cement: This testbed will showcase carbon-negative mineralization, a
method that locks CO₂ into solid minerals — literally turning pollution into rock.Testbed-3: IIT Bombay + Dalmia Cement: Developing a catalyst-driven CO₂ capture process, this
project will be installed at an actual cement plant — a bold move toward scaling indigenous clean tech.
Testbed-4: CSIR-IIP, IIT Tirupati, IISc + JSW Cement: Using a Vacuum Swing Adsorption process,
this testbed will separate CO₂ from cement kiln gases and integrate it back into construction materials —
closing the loop.
Testbed-5: IIT Madras & BITS Pilani, Goa + Ultratech Cement: Focused on innovative carbon-
lowering interventions, this initiative pushes the envelope in blending research with real-world impact.https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2128151.
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NKR/PSM
(Release ID: 2128620)