The use of concentrated solar energy in place of fossil fuels for driving the endothermic calcination reaction CaCO3 --> CaO + CO2 at above 1300 K has the potential of reducing CO2 emissions by 20% in a state-of-the-art lime plant and up to 40% in a conventional cement plant. An economic assessment for an industrial solar calcination plant with 25 MWth solar input indicates that the cost of solar produced lime ranges between 128 and 157 $/t, about twice the current selling price of conventional lime. The solar production of high purity lime for special sectors in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry might be competitive with conventional fossil fuel based calcination processes at current fuel prices. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.