The CILANTRO consortium is united by a shared mission: to develop a new cement manufacturing technology that results in net negative CO₂emissions over the cement’s lifetime. This critical innovation aims to transform the cement industry from a significant global CO₂ emitter into a key contributor to climate action.Tackling Cement’s CO₂ Challenge at the RootThe cement industry currently accounts for approximately 8% of global CO₂ emissions, primarily due to the high-temperature processes required for converting limestone into quicklime.

CILANTRO’s breakthrough approach directly addresses this challenge. Instead of traditional thermal processing, the project will focus on mechanochemical activation of raw materials under a controlled gas atmosphere. This innovative method uses hydrogen (activated by mechanical energy) to react with limestone, fundamentally preventing the generation of $\text{CO}_2$ during the conversion.Furthermore, this pioneering process is designed to be circular: it co-produces valuable gases such as carbon monoxide ($\text{CO}$) and methane, which can be utilised as clean synthetic fuels or precursors for organic synthesis. This creates new value chains and contributes to the burgeoning green industrial market.A Strong European Partnership for ImpactCILANTRO is one of six projects selected to be part of a strategic EIC Pathfinder portfolio, highlighting its high-risk, high-gain potential and its alignment with the European Green Deal.

The 48-month (four-year) project is coordinated by the Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and brings together a diverse consortium of leading universities, research organisations, and industry partners from Spain, Germany, Poland, Ireland, France, and Switzerland. Each partner contributes unique expertise, from fundamental science and industrial engineering to innovation management and real-world industry validation.Official Press Release and Open Science CommitmentThe project’s first official press release, providing further details on its objectives and expected impact, has been issued in conjunction with the Kick-off Meeting. CILANTRO is fully committed to Open Science principles, ensuring all public deliverables, Open Access publications, and project software are made freely available through its dedicated Zenodo Community.

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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.