Architecture
Global Energy Monitor’s Global Cement and Concrete Tracker uses a two-level system for organizing information, consisting of both a database and wiki pages with further information. The database tracks individual integrated, grinding, and clinker only production plants and includes information such as plant owner, location, operating status, cement production method, cement and clinker capacity, and emission reduction strategies. A wiki page for each plant is created within GEM.wiki, and contains more detailed, footnoted information such as plant history and ESJ issues.
Research Process
A preliminary list of cement plants in each country/area was gathered from public and private data sources including Spatial Finance Initiative’s Global Database of Cement Production Assets and LeadIT’s Green Cement Technology Tracker, and data from CemNet, Global Cement, The Global Cement and Concrete Association, and United States Geological Survey, as well as various company and government sources. Data for proposed cement plants was gathered from company announcements, press releases, and government permits, and includes global coverage of cement plants proposed as of May 1, 2025. The data was then vetted against additional sources of information, listed below.
Cement data is updated and maintained through five main sources:
- Corporate reports and data sources from cement plant owner and parent companies
- Government data on individual plants
- Reports by national and regional cement and concrete industry groups
- News and media reports
- Reports from cement technology manufacturers
Where possible, cement plant data is circulated for review to researchers familiar with local conditions and languages.
Artificial Intelligence
The majority of research was completed through conventional internet searching and reviews of published datasets, reports, and news articles. AI tools including ChatGPT and DeepSeek were used to support and deepen these research efforts in the following ways:
- Identify and explain cement types.
- Search for information sources not found through conventional means.
- Summarize asset information for GEM wiki pages.
All information presented through the use of AI was vetted by human researchers for accuracy, with a focus on identifying miscommunication of reported information and hallucination of facts. In cases where AI-reported information was used, primary sources are linked. All text generated through AI was edited and drafted by GEM staff.
Wiki Pages
For each cement plant, a wiki page is created on Global Energy Monitor’s GEM.wiki. Wiki pages provide a repository for plant details including plant owner, parent company, plant status, capacity, and location (coordinates and map), as well as additional in-depth information that may include plant background, financing, environmental impacts, public opposition, and aerial photographs. Under standard wiki convention, all information is linked to a published reference, such as a news article, company or government report, or a regulatory permit. In order to ensure data integrity in the open-access wiki environment, Global Energy Monitor researchers review all edits of project wiki pages.
Cement and Clinker Capacity
Cement capacity includes the permitted or company-declared amount of finished cement the plant has the capacity to produce per year in millions of metric tonnes per annum. Clinker capacity includes the permitted or company-declared amount of clinker the plant has the capacity to produce per year in millions of metric tonnes per annum.
If individual cement and/or clinker capacity are not specified or are otherwise unclear, total plant capacity is listed as “unspecified”. If cement and/or clinker capacity cannot be determined, but capacity is known to be greater than zero, the associated capacity field is listed as “>0”.
For grinding plants, clinker capacity is always listed as “N/A” as it is known that these plants cannot produce clinker. For plants producing clinker only, cement capacity is always listed as “N/A” as it is known that these plants cannot produce finished cement.
If neither cement, clinker, nor unspecified cement capacities can be determined, and plant capacity cannot be determined to be greater than zero, then all capacities are listed as “unknown” (excepting grinding or clinker only plants for the reasons listed above).
Cement Type and Color
The tracker collects data on the primary cement color and type produced at each plant. Cement color is reported as white, grey, both white and grey, or N/A for plants that do not produce cement. As different countries and regions have differing categorization systems for cement types, the reported types align with general categories of cement rather than one specified categorization system. As such, majority cement type falls within the following categories:
OPC: The cement produced falls within the general category of ordinary portland cement, not including supplementary cementitious materials and including the associated high clinker percentage.
Blended: The cement produced falls within the general category of blended cements, including the use of supplementary cementitious materials to reduce clinker percentage, such as fly ash, slag, pozzolans, limestone, etc.
Blast Furnace Slag: The plant produces blast furnace slag (GGBS) for use in blended cements (this does not include plants that produce blended cements made with blast furnace slag, which would fall in the “blended” category.
N/A: The plant does not produce finished cement or GGBS.
Unknown: The primary cement type produced can not be clearly determined.
Plant Status Categories
Announced: Projects that have been announced in corporate or governmental planning documents, but have not begun construction.
Construction: Physical plant structure building has begun.
Operating: Clinker or cement is being produced by the kiln or grinding unit respectively.
Operating pre-retirement: A plant is operating one or more kilns or grinding units, and retirement has been announced.
Retired: A plant has been formally closed or is non-operational for more than one year with no indicated plans to restart operations.
Mothballed: A plant is not operational for more than 6 months but has not been formally closed or retired and still retains the possibility of operation in the future.
Cancelled: There are no updates or evidence the announced project is proceeding after 3 years, or a formal announcement is made from corporate or government authorities.
Plant Type
Integrated: The plant has the capacity to produce clinker and finished cement.
Grinding: The plant has the capacity to produce only finished cement, and does not produce clinker.
Clinker Only: The plant has the capacity to produce only clinker and does not produce finished cement.
Production Type
Wet: The plant produces clinker using the wet methodology, requiring water for mixing raw materials prior to entering the kiln.
Dry: The plant produces clinker using the dry methodology, using air for mixing raw materials prior to entering the kiln.
Mixed: The plant has multiple production lines that each use a different production method.
Semidry: The plant uses a hybrid clinker production methodology between wet and dry.
CCS/CCUS, Alternative Fuel, and Clay Calcination
Implementation of emission reduction technologies including CCS/CCUS, alternative fuel, and clay calcination are tracked for each integrated cement plant. Inputs for each category are listed as “Yes”, “No”, “N/A”, or “unknown”. Each of these efforts are associated with the production of clinker, therefore each category is listed as “N/A” for all grinding plants.
If a plant has announced, either directly or indirectly through news articles, that any of these strategies have or will be implemented at a plant, the associated technology is marked as “Yes”.
If there is no published information regarding any of these technologies for a given plant, the associated technology is marked as “No”.
If the implementation of any of these technologies is unclear, or if a company does not have a publicly available presence (i.e. lacking a website or platform for communication), the associated technology is marked as “unknown”.
Emission reduction technologies are cross-checked against the LeadIT Green Cement Technology Tracker and the 2024 IEA CCUS Projects Database.
Mapping
To allow easy public access to the results, Global Energy Monitor worked with Earth Genome to develop a map-based and table-based interface. In the case of exact coordinates, locations have been visually determined using Google Maps, Google Earth, Planet Labs, or Wikimapia. For proposed projects, exact locations, if available, are from permit applications or other company documentation. If the location of a plant or proposal is not known, GEM identifies the most approximate location.