Austria: A Tec has commissioned a Rocket Mill RM 2.50 for ASA at its waste treatment plant in Wiener Neustadt. The mill has a capacity of 7 – 40t/hr and is equipped with two grinding chambers, which can be independently loaded. Each one has a main drive with 315kW. Due to the grinding technology, it also has an additional drying effect of approximately 10%. The mill is designed to produce refuse-derived fuels (RDF) with an output size of 5 - 80mm from pre-sorted and shredded household and commercial waste. It was principally built at A Tec’s plant in Eberstein.
Keurig coffee fuels programme grinds to a halt
Canada: A scheme to use coffee packs at Lafarge Canada’s Kamloops cement plant has ended following the mothballing of the site. Lafarge Canada and Van Houtte Coffee Services had an arrangement to use leftover Keurig coffee packs collected in the Kamloops area as an alternative fuel for the plant, according to the Province newspaper. However, Lafarge Canada announced that it was mothballing the plant in October 2016 due to poor market conditions. Up to 26 workers may lose their jobs. Van Houtte is looking for a new site to place the programme.
Egyptian government to ask cement plants to hit 15% substitution rate by 2030
Egypt: Khaled Fahmy, the Minister of Environment, has said that government ministers have approved a plan submitted by the Ministry of Environment that seeks to encourage the increase in waste used as energy in cement plants to 15% by 2030. He said that the cabinet adopted the plan, adding that discussions are underway with heads of plants to discuss problems they face in using waste as fuel, according to the Daily News Egypt newspaper. Prime Minister Sherif Ismail has asked operators in the cement industry to start studying their energy consumption and to start suggesting ways they can increase their rate of co-processing of alternative fuels.
The plan hopes to utilise nearly 22Mt of solid waste and 30Mt of agricultural residues to produce the refuse-derived fuel (RDF). The Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy are also preparing legislation to encourage investors to start waste-to-energy businesses.
"The real problems facing investors in the waste recycling business is the lack of commitment by cleaning companies to provide the required quantities of waste to be recycled and used as an alternative fuel," said Fahmy. The ministry is also trying to improve the performance of waste management vehicles with new technology.
International Finance Corporation study supports uptake of alternative fuels in Egypt
Egypt: A report by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) has said that increased use of alternative fuels in the cement industry could save up to US$51m/yr by 2025. The study ‘Unlocking Value: Alternative Fuels for Egypt’s Cement Industry’ assessed the potential for producers to increase the use of alternative fuels and recommend sustainable market solutions. Those alternative fuels include municipal solid waste, agricultural waste, sewage, and old tyres. By 2025, the study suggests, alternative fuels could replace about 1.9Mt of coal and prevent the release of 3.9Mt of CO2.
“Egypt is executing a wide array of initiatives to provide new sources of energy,” said Ramon Piza, president of Cemex Egypt. “We believe that all sectors, public and private, should collaborate and join forces to facilitate the usage of alternative fuel to further support these initiatives and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
The study found that the country produces enough alternative fuels to power the entire cement sector. It included a mapping tool that pinpoints the location of cement plants, sources of alternative fuels, and transport links. However, it found that several obstacles prevent cement producers from using alternative fuels, including the lack of a well-established supply chain that would collect, process, and deliver waste to cement plants. The report recommends that market players must come to clear and fair commercial and quality arrangements ensuring a secure supply and return on investment, a fair pricing mechanism, and regulatory improvements to increase waste collection and treatment efficiency.
The report was supported by the governments of Denmark and Italy, the Korea Green Growth Trust Fund, and the Earth Fund Platform. It is part of a larger effort by the IFC to combat climate change, improve waste management, and support the global cement industry. The IFC has invested $4bn in 180 projects in the cement sector during the last 55 years. IFC’s current cement portfolio includes 30 investments and 10 advisory projects.