Global CemFuels News

Turkey: Denmark-based FLSmidth has released details about a new clinker production line it is currently supplying to Bursa Çimento. Work at the site is underway at present covering the line from crushing to clinker cooling. The new line is scheduled to start at the end of 2022. FLSmidth says the equipment it is supplying includes a Hotdisc Combustion Device, which will help increase the substitution rate to 86%, the highest in Turkey. The order also includes an OK Raw Mill, a Rotax-2 kiln, Pfister feeders and new air pollution process filters.

"The modernisation of our Bursa site is a strategic investment, providing us with a more competitive cost base,” said Osman Nemli, General Manager at Bursa Çimento. “But just as important is the entire upgrade which focuses on reducing emissions and power consumption. In this way, we are proactively mitigating future possible environmental regulation."

Canada: The Cement Association of Canada (CAC) has praised the state government of Ontario’s Made-in-Ontario environment plan. The plan prioritises the phasing out of coal in industry.

President and chief executive officer (CEO) Michael Sweeney said, “Our industry has consistently advocated regulatory measures facilitating the transition from fossil fuels to low or zero-carbon fuels from materials otherwise going to landfill as a cornerstone of reducing greenhouse gases from cement manufacturing.” He continued, “Regulatory changes that remove barriers to this transition will, over time, allow the Ontario cement sector to eliminate significant greenhouse gas emissions – 1Mt in the next five years alone – as our cement plants implement new technologies. Equally important, diverting waste products from landfills will dramatically reduce landfill emissions, significantly magnifying the benefit of these measures in the fight against climate change.”

Bulgaria: HeidelbergCement subsidiary Devnya Cement is planning to invest Euro5m in two upgrades to achieve 100% alternative fuel (AF) substitution in the kiln line of its Varna cement plant. SeeNews has reported that the line, established in 2015, currently uses 60% AF.

General manager Silvio Thiede said, “We have the ambitious goal to reduce our net carbon dioxide emissions to zero by 2050, at all of our plants."

Italy: The Italian cement and concrete association Federbeton says that investments in sustainable technologies in domestic cement production totalled Euro110m between 2017 and 2019, reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by 311,000t in 2019 alone, up by 12% year-on-year from 278,000t in 2018. An increased alternative fuel (AF) substitution rate of 6.7% in 2019 contributed to the reduction, up by 0.7% from 6.6%. Producers’ full-year alternative fuels consumption was 1.6Mt.

Spain: The Municipal Planning Department of Córdoba (GMU) has repealed Cementos Cosmos’ licence to burn alternative fuels in the cement kiln of its integrated Córdoba plant because it “goes against the provisions of the current General Urban Development Plan”, according to Europa Press. The decision marks a victory for local campaign group Córdoba Aire Limpio, which has been campaigning to stop waste being burned at the cement plant since a previous authorisation was issued in 2007.