Displaying items by tag: Alternative Fuels

UK: Lafarge Cement UK's Cauldon Works in Staffordshire has received recognition for its industry-leading sustainability achievements, which have seen it reach an alternative fuel substitution rate of 50%. The achievement is the latest milestone for the plant, which has been researching, developing and using alternative fuels, mainly processed sewage pellets (PSP) and tyre chips, for a decade.

Its parent company, Lafarge Group, has honoured the works as part of its annual awards. These champion the efforts of employees worldwide who are transforming the way in which products are manufactured. As part of the latest achievement, Lafarge has announced that the Cauldon team was able to run the calciner for a trial 10hr period using just PSP and tyre chips. Cauldon is only the third of Lafarge's 166 production sites across the world to achieve 100% alternative fuel substitution on the calciner for a limited period.

Cauldon Works' optimisation manager, Andy Woodcock, said, "We are aware that environmental legislation across the construction sector will increase in the near future and we want to be sure that we have measures in place to stay at the forefront for environmental performance and delivering sustainably-produced products to our customers. We're pleased to announce this development, which will help us continue to reduce our carbon footprint and reinforce our position as Lafarge UK's flagship works for the use of waste-derived fuels."

Canada: The Cement Association of Canada has applauded the Government of Canada's announcement that it will invest almost US$1m in Ontario-based Pond Biofuels for the advancement of Canadian biofuel technology and expertise. The investment will be made under the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario's 'Investing in Business Innovation' initiative.

The contribution will help Pond Biofuels complete a pilot demonstration of a technology developed jointly with St Marys Cement to capture and convert CO₂ and other emissions from the cement manufacturing process into oxygen and biomass.

"This technology pioneered by Pond Biofuels in partnership with St Marys Cement speaks to the Canadian cement industry's commitment to innovation and commitment to reducing its carbon footprint," said Michael McSweeney, President and CEO of the Cement Association of Canada. "Government support plays a critical role in fostering innovation and we warmly welcome the investment in this groundbreaking initiative as an important step in the future of sustainable development for Canada's cement industry."

Two stories this week on alternative fuels illustrate their current place in the cement industry succinctly. Sumitomo Osaka Cement in Japan plans to increase the sales of power generated in-house at its Tochigi Prefecture plant using wood biomass fuel. Meanwhile on the other side of the Pacific Cemex US is planning to cut costs and carbon emissions by installing wind turbines at its Victorville site in California.

At the recent Global CemTrader conference on supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), coal and petcoke and logistics for the global cement industry, Patrick Peenaert of Lafarge delivered a presentation entitled the 'Global Overview of Worldwide Coal & Petcoke.'

In his talk Peenaert revealed, unsurprisingly, that fossil fuels dominate the global cement industry for the energy consumption of the top four international producers, with coal and petcoke making up over 70% of usage. However, alternative fuel usage has grown from 13% in 2008 to 18% in 2011. As price pressures on fossil fuels grow from other industries so too will investment into alternative fuel options.

The Japanese story demonstrates this well, especially given that the economic fallout of the 2011 earthquake on the Japanese power industry has made an alternative fuel process considerably more valuable for a plant with a temporary closed kiln. By contrast the US story is more nonchalant: operations will proceed at the Californian plant regardless of whether the turbines are built or not.

Yet hedging one's bets with power sources is increasingly seen to be a prudent long term strategy in an uncertain world. A familiar refrain in the recent batch of cement producer financial reports has been mounting energy costs. This week's half-year results for the Pretoria Portland Cement in the bullish African market is no exception.

Watch the video of Patrick Peenaert's presentation at the Global CemTrader 2012 conference, and all the other presentations

Japan: Sumitomo Osaka Cement has announced plans to lift sales of power generated in-house at its Tochigi Prefecture plant using wood biomass fuel. The current fuel mix is 85% wood chips and 15% coal, 20% more wood chips than previously.

The group's operating profit is expected to surge by 41% to US$144m in the fiscal year ending March 2013. Sumitomo Osaka Cement does not disclose power-related earnings, but the steady advance of power sales is expected to become a factor that boosts operating profit by US$12.5-25m.

The power generation facilities at the Tochigi plant were completed in February 2009 and went into full operation in April 2009. Current output is 25,000kw.

Sumitomo Osaka Cement suspended operations at one of the plant's two kilns in January 2012 as part of restructuring measures, giving it capacity to supply more of its leftover power. It aims to contribute to the power supply by selling the excess electricity, especially with Japan's nuclear plants remaining offline due to the aftermath of the Fukashima radiation leak following the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster.

US: Cemex USA has announced a novel plan to install four 120m-tall wind turbines at one of its US cement terminals and quarry in order to cut carbon emissions and energy costs.

The Victorville Planning Commission has unanimously approved the two turbines proposed at Cemex's cement manufacturing plant, with the company stating the project would help keep jobs in the Victor Valley.

"Our operations will continue at Victorville even if the turbine permits are not approved," said Cemex spokeswoman Sara Engdahl. "However, the wind turbine project at our Victorville site is beneficial not only to our operations but to the environment as well. The project will contribute to the local economy through jobs created for the construction and engineering of the turbine, and the project directly partners with California-based Foundation Windpower."

The two turbines in Victorville will produce an estimated 6500MWh of electricity in an average year, enough to sustain 650 average homes, according to the company. The other two proposed turbines will be built at the Black Mountain Quarry in an unincorporated area of Apple Valley. They are under review by San Bernardino County.

The project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stabilise energy costs for Cemex, while preparing the company to comply with future carbon emission requirements, according to Cemex's proposal to the city of Victorville.

"The wind turbine project at our Victorville plant is part of our vision and commitment to reduce our environmental footprint and contribute to a cleaner environment," said Engdahl. "Cemex is increasingly using renewable energy to generate power for our operations."

She added that Foundation Windpower began working on foundations of the Victorville site in August 2011. It is scheduled to start erecting the turbines in September 2012.

UK: Plans to burn used tyres and plastics for energy at Lafarge's Aberthaw works in South Wales have been submitted to the Environment Agency for approval. Lafarge's comes after it sent out 5000 letters to residents explaining the latest proposals and held two public consultations. The proposal has previously sparked concerns among some residents and environmentalists.

The plant's management team says that the move would cut costs and reduce coal burning and CO₂ emissions. The proposal comes six years after the Lafarge meat and bone meal (MBM) from cows and sheep as a sustainable waste-derived fuel at the plant. If the move is approved by the Environment Agency, the used Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF), including papers and plastics, and end-of-life car and van tyres, could save up to 15,500t/yr of coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 20,000t/yr.

James Kirkpatrick, manager at the Aberthaw works, which has an integrated capacity of 0.55Mt/yr, said the plan had been prompted by increased competition in the cement market and a serious downturn in demand for construction products. "Since it was introduced in 2005, we have used 50,000t of MBM which has significantly reduced our consumption of fossil fuels," he said. "Extending the range of sustainable waste-derived fuels we can use offers us a good way to keep a check on our costs which have been escalating."

Keith Stockdale, secretary of Barry and Vale Friends of the Earth, said, "The Environment Agency will have to impose strict conditions on the burning of this potentially hazardous waste."

Pakistan: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) for Islamabad has made temporary arrangement with Fauji Cement for the disposal of garbage from Sector I-14 of the city to cut pollution. Disposal of garbage has become a major issue for the city and the agreement was carried out in the interests of citizens a CDA official announced.

Fauji Cement has installed a waste processing plant at its site in the Tehsil Fateh Jang region of the Attock District. Here solid waste is processed for the generation of fuel to run the plant using Refuse Derived Fuel technology. As per the agreement, the CDA transports garbage to a nearby green belt whereupon Fauji Cement takes responsibility for segregating the material, taking it to the plant and covering the remaining material with mud.

The CDA official stated that previously the garbage was being disposed of in deep ditches covered with soil but it was an unhygienic and undesirable practice. However, as the Fauji Cement covers the garbage (remains) with mud, there is hardly any adverse impact on the environment. Currently a study is being conducted to gauge the impact of disposal of garbage on the environment in Islamabad.