Low-carbon concrete quota could be as high as 80%, new research finds
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By Europe has all the tools necessary to ensure public money rewards innovative technologies, including low-carbon concrete. It only needs equal political ambition to be reflected in the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA).
A Ramboll study, commissioned by ECOS, shows that an industry-aligned low-carbon concrete quota can be as high as 80% – 16 times higher than the current 5% proposal put forward by the European Commission. And this is possible with minimal project level costs.
The evidence gap: the 5% proposal overlooks the technologies available today
Half of the concrete used in Europe goes to public projects, making strategic procurement of clean and innovative technologies essential to support best performers. However, the latest version of the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) puts forward a 5% low-carbon quota for publicly procured concrete – far below what is possible and needed to provide investment predictability. The difference between the current proposal and what the study shows is achievable stems from two main oversights: the EU’s total low-carbon concrete supply and the relevant size of the public market. The study addresses both gaps by:
• Mapping all EU low-carbon technologies available – beyond CCS – to ensure quotas reflect actual market potential and reward early movers.
• Calculating public procurement demand falling within the scope of the IAA (only projects over 5.4 million EUR), so that the quota reflects the market that can be influenced.
Setting things right – ECOS recommendations
A clear and credible signal across the EU market is needed to create meaningful industry transformation. Policymakers have a once-in-a-decade opportunity to set things right in the Industrial Accelerator Act by:
• Setting at least a 50% low-carbon concrete quota to reward innovation. This quota is based on low-carbon definitions already adopted in industry road maps and calibrated against national benchmarks in the top five European concrete markets (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Poland).
• Ensuring the Construction Products Regulation delivers a low-carbon definition by 2029 backed by legal safeguards in the IAA. The quota and the definition should be developed jointly rather than through separate processes.
The evidence is clear: Europe has the technologies and the market potential to ensure that industrial decarbonisation and competitiveness work together.
Want to learn more?
Make sure to read the full study or contact Tudor Cherhat, Programme Manager at ECOS.
