DST Launched 1st Cluster of CCU Testbeds in Academia-Industry Collaboration for Cement Industry – AffairsCloud.com

In May 2025, the Department of Science & Technology (DST), which works under the Ministry of Science & Technology (MoS&T) launched 5 Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) testbeds in the cement industry. This is a 1st–of-its-kind research and innovation cluster to reduce industrial carbon emissions.
Background:
i.These 5 CCU testbeds were formally announced by the DST on the occasion of 27th National Technology Day celebrations (observed on May 11, 2025) held at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi (Delhi).
ii.Union Minister of State (MoS) (Independent Charge, IC) Dr. Jitendra Singh, MoST, who attended the event as Chief Guest, handed over the grants to the Test bed teams.
About CCU Testbeds:
i.The Climate Energy and Sustainable Technology (CEST), division of DST launched a unique call to mobilise academia-industry consortia proposal for deployment CCU in the cement sector.
ii.These newly launched CCU testbeds will function under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. They are designed to support translational Research & Development (R&D) in collaboration with premier academic and industrial partners.
iii.These testbeds are aimed to develop and deploy integrated carbon dioxide capture and utilization units in operational cement plants.
iv.Each of these 5 test beds will address a different facet of CCU, from cutting-edge catalysis to vacuum-based gas separation.
v.The outcomes of these pilot projects will provide proof-of-concept for CCU deployment in the cement industry and will serve as a model for scaling up and commercialization across other sectors.
About 5 CCU Testbeds:
i.Testbed-1: It will be established by National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB) at its headquarters in Ballabhgarh (Haryana) in partnership with Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh, UP)-based JK Cement Limited.
ii.Testbed-2: It will be set up by Kanpur (UP)-based Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-Kanpur), UP in collaboration with Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based JSW Cement Limited in UP.
iii.Testbed-3: It will be established by Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based IIT-Bombay, Mumbai(Maharashtra) in partnership with Dalmia (Bharat)Cement Limited in Maharashtra .
iv.Testbed-4: It will be set up in AP by Council of Scientific & Industrial Research –Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP) based in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, in collaboration with Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh, AP)-based IIT-Tirupati; Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru (Karnataka); and JSW Cement.
v.Testbed-5: It will be established in Goa by Chennai (Tamil Nadu, TN)-based IIT-Madras and Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS Pilani) in Goa, in collaboration with Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Ultratech Cement Limited, a flagship cement company of Aditya Birla Group.
About Ministry of Science and Technology (MoS&T):
Minister of State (MoS) (Independent Charge, IC)– Dr. Jitendra Singh (Constituency- Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir, J&K)

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