India Launches First Cluster of Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) Testbeds for Cement Industry in Academia-Industry Partnership

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Posted On: 14 MAY 2025 New Delhi: In a landmark move towards industrial decarbonisation, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has launched India’s first cluster of Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) testbeds focused on the cement industry. The initiative, announced during National Technology Day celebrations on May 11, 2025, represents a pioneering academia-industry collaboration under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

A total of five CCU testbeds have been approved under this programme, forming a first-of-its-kind research and innovation cluster aimed at reducing industrial carbon emissions in one of the most hard-to-abate sectors — cement.

The initiative is a major step in advancing India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the Government’s vision to achieve a carbon-neutral economy by 2070.

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, and other key portfolios, handed over the project grants to the selected testbed teams in the presence of DST Secretary Prof. Abhay Karandikar.

Each of the five testbeds will focus on different CCU technologies — from advanced catalysis to vacuum-based gas separation — and are designed for real-world deployment in collaboration with India’s premier research institutions and leading cement manufacturers.

“This initiative will showcase practical decarbonisation pathways and serve as a confidence-building measure for future investments and large-scale adoption of CCU technologies,” said Dr. Jitendra Singh.

The cement industry, crucial to India’s infrastructure and economic growth, contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. The CCU testbeds aim to capture carbon dioxide emitted during cement production and convert it into value-added products such as synthetic fuels, urea, soda ash, food-grade CO₂, chemicals, or aggregates for construction.

The DST’s Centre for Energy and Sustainable Technology (CEST) spearheaded a special call to mobilize proposals from academic institutions and industry consortia, resulting in this multi-stakeholder initiative.

The programme also aims to bring down the cost of green cement by fostering translational R&D in materials science, reactor design, catalysts, and electrochemical technologies.

The launch event, held at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, was also attended by Secretary DBT Dr. Rajesh Gokhale, HCL Co-founder Dr. Ajai Choudhary, TDB Secretary Dr. Rajesh Pathak, Head CEST Dr. Anita Gupta, and DST Associate Head Dr. Neelima Alam.

As the nation moves steadily towards its net zero goals, these CCU testbeds are expected to catalyse innovation and commercialisation in India’s clean technology ecosystem.

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