
Displaying items by tag: Alternative Fuels
Cemex uses 37% alternative fuel globally in 2023
25 March 2024Mexico: Cemex said in its Integrated Report 2023 that its alternative fuel (AF) substitution rate rose to 37% in 2023. The group attributed the rise to its deployment of hydrogen injection technology.
Cemex said “We continued our global roll-out of hydrogen injection technology, and it's now used in half of our cement plants. In Mexico alone, we made sizeable investments installing new hydrogen units and plan to continue scaling hydrogen use in our operations worldwide.”
ACC and Ambuja Cements' Geoclean launch new facilities
20 March 2024India: ACC and Ambuja Cements' Geoclean has launched two new facilities for sustainable waste management. The Ambuja Marwar pre-processing and co-processing facility in Rajasthan can convert 220,000t/yr of refuse into alternative fuel, while the ACC Jamul co-processing facility will process an additional 120,000t/yr.
The Ambuja Marwar facility, in collaboration with the Ambuja Marwar Farmer Producer Organisation, aims to source 50,000t/yr of agricultural waste from local farmers. This initiative will also increase the plant's thermal substitution rate to 15%. Similarly, the ACC Jamul facility will enhance its thermal substitution rate to 10%, reducing CO₂ emissions through the co-processing of waste in the cement kiln.
Slovenia: Parliament has voted in favour of legislation requiring limit values for the co-processing of waste, including as alternative fuel (AF) in cement production. The government will now define the limit values based on best available technology standards for incineration. Following the enactment, facilities which co-process waste will have four years in which to comply. Slovenia Times News has reported that the bill came about following campaigning by environmentalist group Eco Anhovo and allied non-governmental organisations. The groups protested against the way AF is used at Salonit Anhovo’s 1Mt/yr Anhovo cement plant in Nova Gorica Municipality.
Salonit Anhovo chair Tomaž Vuk said “To protect more than 800 direct and indirect jobs and the interests of us and our business partners, we will use all means to provide for further development and business operations.”
France: Fives FCB has partnered with Holcim to decarbonise its cement production processes. Fives conducted successful hydrogen tests at the La Malle site in France, achieving over 50% hydrogen substitution in cement production. This result also enabled a significant increase in the use of alternative fuels while still maintaining cement quality. The group has also developed a digital model to tailor this process to each cement plant's unique requirements.
Philippines: Cemex Philippines processed 700,000t of waste into alternative fuel (AF) for its Apo and Solid cement plants in 2023. Malaya Business Insight News has reported that the volume equates to three months’ waste generation for the entire city of Manila. Cemex Philippines recorded an AF substitution rate of 30% for the year.
President and CEO Luis Franco said “Cemex Philippines is proud to be a leader in circular economy. We believe that in transforming waste into value, we can create a positive impact on the environment, the society, and the economy. We are committed to continue innovating and collaborating with our stakeholders to address the country’s waste problems.”
Supremo Secil Cimentos’ Adrianópolis cement plant to raise AF substitution rate to 40%
02 February 2024Brazil: Secil subsidiary Supremo Secil Cimentos will invest US$20.3m in an upcoming expansion of its Adrianópolis cement plant. Commencing in July 2024, the expansion will raise the plant’s clinker capacity by 10% and enable it to increase its alternative fuel (AF) substitution rate from 25 – 30% to 40%, and eventually to 50% by 2030. To date, AF use at the plant has reduced its cumulative consumption of petcoke by 100,000t.
CEO Paulo Nascentes highlighted the transformative impact of the Adrianópolis plant on its host community, with its initial investment of US$176m and a subsequent US$41.7m in previous upgrades to date. "One of the reasons why the Paraná government allowed the plant was because Adrianópolis was very neglected. The arrival of Supremo transformed the city," he said.
Holcim Philippines raises alternative fuels volumes in 2023
02 February 2024Philippines: Holcim Philippines used 1Mt of alternative fuel (AF) in its cement production in 2023. This represents a 9% year-on-year rise from 2022 levels. Throughout the year, Holcim’s waste management subsidiary Geocycle raised its total number of local partners by 43%, to 50 city and municipal governments.
Holcim Philippines president and CEO Horia Adrian said "Our sustained effort to drive circularity in cement manufacturing is enabling us to more positively contribute to the country's progress." He added "Through our co-processing operations, we are significantly reducing our environmental footprint in producing important building materials for development structures while helping the country in managing wastes."
Cementos Portland Valderrivas' Alcalá de Guadaíra cement plant to raise alternative raw materials and alternative fuels use
30 January 2024Spain: Cementos Portland Valderrivas' Alcalá de Guadaíra plant has secured environmental clearance to use more alternative raw materials and alternative fuels (AF) in its cement production.
The company said "This achievement is a further boost to our sustainable work practices, respecting the environment and contributing to combatting climate change."
Peru: Grupo Gloria subsidiary Cemento Yura plans to transition its Yura cement plant from using coal to alternative fuels (AF) in its cement production. Additionally, the producer will build a 30MW solar power plant at the site. The Gestión newspaper has reported the total value of the upgrades as US$50m. Both projects are scheduled for commissioning in mid-2025.
In the 2023 financial year, which ended on 30 June 2023, Peruvian cement despatches fell by 8% to 12.6Mt.
Mexico: Cemex's waste management subsidiary Regenera has signed a deal with the municipal council of Huajuapan de León to receive the latter's sorted non-recyclable municipal solid waste (MSW). Under the deal, Regenera will receive up to 6000t/yr of MSW, which it will supply to Cemex's Tepeaca cement plant in Puebla.