18th Global CemFuels Conference 2025

18th Global CemFuels Conference on alternative fuels in the cement and lime industry

The 18th Global CemFuels Conference, Exhibition and Awards on alternative fuels in the cement industry has successfully taken place in Milan on 17-18 September 2025, with 215 registered delegates, 30 exhibitor stands, 20 presentations, 12 hours of networking including an awards dinner at the Villa Triulzo, a day of AF training, and a field trip to Heidelberg Materials’ Rezzato-Mazzano cement plant. The 19th Global CemFuels Conference will take place in Geneva on 23-24 September 2026.
 
Laurent Desroches of Veolia opened the conference with an overview of alternative fuels (AF) around the world. Veolia has over 200,000 employees worldwide and is a world leader in waste management. He pointed out that the cement industry wants energy, no pollution and a combustible material: and that there are ‘good, bad and ugly’ fuels out there. He gave an example of a furniture recycling plant, which separates mattresses, padded items, wood and metals, and sends them to their most valuable users, including as solid recovered fuel (SRF) for the cement industry. All of the difficult-to-process materials involve a shredding step to increase combustibility, and the biogenic component of the resulting fuel is now quantified for CO2 permit calculations. Finally, though, he concluded that the power boiler market is currently more profitable than supplying fuels to the cement industry.
 
Second speaker Andy Jones of the RDF Industry Group (and MD of Totus Environmental) gave an overview of AF in Europe, pointing out that Italy and the UK are the leading producers of waste for export in Europe. Scandinavia is sitting on large stockpiles of refuse-derived-fuels (RDF), partly since the winter of 2024-25 was mild and heat-producing boilers were not required to run at full capacity. Impending tax changes, biogenic versus fossil content, logistics blockages, calorific value (CV) content requirements and supply variations are all factors that impact RDF supply. In addition, a number of EU countries are suffering from poor economic conditions, leading to weak cement demand. Chemical recycling of plastics may strongly impact the quality of AF available to the cement industry in the future. Taxes and tax regimes have a very strong influence on where RDF ends up, and its ultimate price or cost. Markets are very dynamic, and it is now difficult for cement producers to source good value AF.
 
Dan Kingsley of Oakleaf Recycling described the daily travails of an SRF producer in the UK. His company has to provide what the consumers want, which is a consistent, high CV (more than 20-23kJ/kg), low chlorine, low moisture, low ash, and high biogenic fraction fuel, at a consistent particle size and shape. Not much to ask for! “Ultimately, quality floats to the top,” but since cement kilns can burn most things, they can levy higher gate fees. Kilns want fuel security, while the fuel producer also needs offtake security - but one critical question is ‘who pays?’ Landfill taxes, electricity, haulage costs, fuel costs, wages and general inflation have all inflated the costs of fuel production. Dan appealed for a ‘more balanced approach’ on gate fees. This critical point was discussed through the rest of the event.
 
Lara Jennissen of N+P Group spoke about developments in the waste markets. His company has five production locations and produces pelletised and granulated AF for the cement industry and others. Lars pointed out that plastics recycling operators have been closing, and that cement demand is at a particularly low ebb throughout Europe at the moment, making the situation difficult for AF producers. However, N+P has a well-received SubCoal pelletised product that is easy to transport and is millable to an easily-combustible AF material. A new biogenic pellet is being developed, with more than 70% biogenic content and CV of more than 20kJ/kg.
 
Michael Hinkel and Stéphane Poellaer of Alterline (hosts of the previous day’s ‘Introduction to AF’ course) next told delegates how they can reach their AF and clinker production targets. AF typically leads to higher electrical consumption, higher exhaust gas volumes (due to higher moisture and ash volumes), coarser granulometry, higher fluctuations in thermal input, higher input of chlorine, and changes in kiln operation or behaviour. Michael pointed out that a baseline study can be undertaken to determine any bottlenecks or other technical challenges. False air intake, incomplete combustion in the calciner, low heat exchange efficiency in cyclones, low calciner orifice velocity and chlorine bypass are all technical issues that should be addressed to reach a high thermal substitution rate (TSR). Stéphane went on to outline an optimised AF feeding line to achieve stable thermal input and to avoid starvations and stops. Manual (loader) mixing of different AF with different properties must be avoided prior to dosing, while the line must be designed to be as flexible as possible. Quality control of incoming AF is crucial.
 
Sergio Rotondo, MAAG Gear, reiterated that the thermal efficiency of cement kilns drops when AFs are introduced due to the heterogeneous nature of the material. One way to combat this is to improve the mechanical efficiency of the kiln drive. MAAG Gear estimates the average mechanical efficiency of a kiln drive to be 78% for a three-pier kiln. This can be improved by optimising the manufacturing processes and improving maintenance, particularly with the aim of keeping temperature fluctuations low. Kilns should always operate according to their designed parameters. An Italian case-study showed that power costs reduced from €328,000/yr to €280,440/yr with the installation of a new drive. This saved the producer €47,560/yr, giving a return-on-investment period of 3.4yr.  
 
Luigi Di Matteo, DI MATTEO Group, then presented his company’s expertise in unloading, processing, storing, conveying, dosing and feeding of AF. Noting that mistakes made in the early parts of the process will negatively impact the latter stages, Luigi covered a wide range of DI MATTEO’s equipment, including the ODM MultiFUEL reception system, the ODM AirSep for high-performance separation lines, the ODM RotoScrew for storage, ODM Pipe Conveyor, ODM WeighTUBE and FlexoLIFT bucket conveyor. The presentation included case-studies from installations at Rohrdorfer Zement (Gmunden, Austria), Heidelberg Materials (Couvrot, France) and Rezzato-Mazzano (Italy). The last of these was visited by the conference field trip on Friday 19 September 2025.
 
Pier Paolo Cella, Entsorga presented a case study on how his company is helping Heidelberg Materials’ Matera plant in Italy reach a 90% TSR using its Pelican system. It processes SRF, sourced from municipal solid waste (MSW) and various biomasses, with a handling capacity of 42t/hr and a screening capacity of 150m3/hr. The system uses a pneumatic system to feed both the main burner and the calciner, with overall capacity of 6.8t/hr and 8t/hr respectively. The system will be started up by the end of 2025. Cella described the project as “the most complex and detailed project Entsorga has ever completed.” He noted that the plant had a bypass system fitted at the same time and that the tight profile of the plant made fitting the new equipment complicated.
 
Eetu Tuovinen, Tana Oy, described how his company worked with Solví in Brazil to help process RDF. Solví is a waste management company based in Latin America with operations in Brazil, Argentina and Peru. It operates six RDF plants in Brazil and processes over 10Mt/yr. Waste in Brazil is typically highly contaminated, with items such as metal and rocks present. Tuovinen also noted that high humidity levels can also be an issue in Brazil. Tana substituted four stationary units with one mobile shredding machine.
 
At the end of the first day of the conference, four panel members assembled to discuss some of the difficulties of using AF: Alexandros Yfantis of the Titan Group (Greece), Sayeed Dessoki of Heidelberg Materials’ Suez Cement (Egypt), Breffni Bolze of Circulère/Vicat (France) and Ozge Ozbakir of Aalborg Portland (Denmark) gave the audience many take-home tips on how to go about starting to use AF, and how to increase overall TSR.
 
Global CemFuels Awards Dinner
Delegates boarded a series of buses to travel to the ancient Villa Triulzo on the outskirts of Milan for an atmospheric evening of networking and high-class cuisine. At the climax of the evening the Global CemFuels Awards were presented.

The alternative fuels-using company of the year was Heidelberg Materials, and AF supplier of the year was WKE. The outstanding alternative fuel project award went to Holcim/Geocycle for the Hermosillo cement plant AF high-TSR project in Mexico, while the award for ‘most innovative technology for alternative fuel use’ went to the FLSmidth FuelFlex pyrolyser. The award for ‘outstanding contribution for the promotion of AF’ went to Vecoplan. Global CemFuels Personalities of the Year awards went to Laura Quarteroni, Molinari SRL; Breffni Bolze, Circulère/Vicat; and Tom Defeyter, Vanheede Alternative Fuels. Discussions of AF-related topics continued at the hotel bar late into the night.

Second Day
Ondrej Kozel, Qlar Europe started his talk by reporting that his company has re-entered markets in South America, with offices in Brazil and Colombia, and is about to return to the US in 2025. The company’s Low TSR Feeder, with a 30M3 hopper volume, is due to be released in 2026, with the first installation planned in India. Qlar is also currently developing and testing a camera-based oversized particle detection system for AF. A case study at Heidelberg Materials’ Fieni plant in Romania was presented in which RDF was fed into the main burner. Almost the full range of Qlar’s AF products were used in the project. Another case study with OYAK Çimento in Türkiye demonstrated reaching a 60 – 70% TSR through feeding RDF, tyres and construction and demolition materials to both the main burner and calciner.

 Matthias Schumacher, aixprocess, (and co-author Ana Paula Costa of SECIL Group) presented a detailed case study of how his company conducted a ‘housekeeping’ exercise upon a cement production line to improve its AF TSR. First, it noted high fluctuations in free lime, unstable off-specification alite content and frequently overburnt clinker with a relatively slow response time from human operators and laboratory analysis. Then a wide variation in the CV and moisture content of the RDF being used was recorded. Further issues with the fuel mix and feeding system were noticed, including unstable fuel outflow from the bin and frequent blockages. Studying pneumatic conditions in the pre-calciner revealed that material was falling into the kiln, not the cyclones, and the main burner flame shape was not as expected. Initial measures recommended by the exercise included making small modifications in the riser refractory/orifice, improving fuel preparation and feeding and changing the burner settings. Installation of a satellite burner was also recommended. Subsequently, the line’s TSR improved by 10%. Schumacher concluded his presentation by stating that pyroprocessing line malfunctions can be eliminated through housekeeping audits. Kiln feed chemistry, the AF mix, and chemistry can then be better controlled through products such as aixprocess' KILN AIxperT software.

 Leoš Voleský, BEUMER Group Czech Republic, boasted that Beumer can always find a way of conveying AF, or it can create one! The company is well known for its wide range of conveyors but it also supplies products that cover AF preparation through to dosing and feeding. A newer product is its Optiasic automated system that can record and connect incoming truck deliveries, including weighing and sampling. Case studies presented included a new 40t/hr AF feeding line at Semen Indonesia’s Grobogan plant that was commissioned in August 2025. The scope included reception, operational storage, conveying, weigh-feeding and false air sealing of AF into the calciner. Other recent studies included a 25t/hr RDF processing and feeding line at Cemex’s Prachovice plant in the Czech Republic, a 25t/hr AF feeding line in the UK and a 10+5t/hr AF feeding line at Akmenés Cementas in Lithuania.

 Jori Kaaresmaa, BMH Technology, presented a case-study from Cimpor’s Alhandra plant in Portugal, at which the owner aimed to increase the AF TSR from 40% to 80%. The scope included the receiving system, quality control (for ferrous metal removal and large particle screening), bucket elevator, a large round silo with a rotating screw reclaimer, and a 0.8-8.0t/hr dosing and feeding system. Jori argued that the use of a silo, while more costly at the outset, offered the plant numerous advantages. Its small footprint – at just 100m2 for a capacity of 1000m3 – was key to installing the facility in the small available area. Its chevcon principle and bottom-fed screw allows for first-in-first-out operations, meaning that the material does not have time to deteriorate. The fully-closed construction protects against the elements and limits the amount of oxygen present in the event of fires. The installation is due to come online in the second quarter of 2026.

 Godwin Osagie, Thorwesten Vent GmbH, and Christian Fink, robecco, then highlighted that AFs often introduce specific fire and explosion risks that are frequently underestimated, misunderstood or even ignored altogether. Gas release, explosion and fire are well known risks that must be mitigated during the engineering phase. Inerting systems, which deploy when CO levels indicate smouldering fires, should have enough gas to completely fill the entire volume of the system being inerted - three times over. Otherwise, there is the potential that fires will not be fully extinguished. Oxygen levels must be below 3% to eliminate smouldering fires and below 10-12% to ensure no risk of dust explosions. To highlight the risks of operating without sufficient safeguards, the presenters discussed an explosion at a biosolids silo in the UK that killed four workers. There was no pressure shock resistance, no venting devices, no gas measurement and no inerting system on the silo. Christian said that the operator was ‘clearly in violation’ of numerous codes.

 Brock Harrington of CPM spoke about the 50Mt/yr biomass fuel industry. Brock said that biomass is underused as an AF due to its high moisture, low density, varying composition and irregular shape and size, among other factors. The answer to these issues is to densify, into pellets or briquettes, for greater homogeneity. There are three main technologies. In order of increasing cost, they are steam explosion, torrefaction and carbonisation. Steam explosion and torrefaction capacity are increasing rapidly, driven in particular by the Japanese power and steel sectors’ demand for lower-CO2 fuels. Brock said that milled torrefied pellets will become a significant fuel for the global cement industry in the next five years.

 Michael Suppaner, A TEC, presented on the topic of ‘the CO2 puzzle’ of the cement industry, stating that, if all pieces are fitted together properly, the industry will reach net-zero emissions. Michael’s puzzle pieces (in order) are to: Optimise the performance of burner and preheater; Optimise preparation of raw materials and solid (fossil) fuels; Apply AF in calciner to reach 10-30% TSR; Reach a calciner AF rate of 40-70% (with the help of a chlorine bypass from A TEC); Maximise AF to 100% in calciner; Reach 70-100% TSR on the main burner (with help from A TEC’s Rocket Mill); Use of bypass dust; Use of wind turbine blades as a fuel and silica source; Use of conventional supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs); Switching to calcined clay; Adopting CCUS; Use of hydrogen; and finally, the use of unknown future technologies. A lot of cement plants have had the first handful of pieces in place for many years, some have added the others over the years, but very few have more than half the pieces in place.

 Kirstie Jones-Williams, from the pan-European AF sourcing company Geminor, presented a case-study from Denmark’s Aalborg Portland Cement. Geminor has delivered SRF to the plant from its Aalborg hub since 2019. In 2020 the company invested in a shredder to produce 15,000-20,000t/yr of RDF from the same site. A wind-shifter was added in 2022. The Aalborg hub’s output has 15% moisture, 10% ash (as received) and a net CV of 20GJ/t. Most goes to Aalborg Portland Cement in bulk, but it can also be baled for storage at the hub.

 In the penultimate presentation at the conference, Giovanni Sghirlanzoni of Cleanova-Micronics spoke about adapting baghouse filters to the use of alternative fuels. AF can lead to an increase in flue gas volumes, an increase in humidity and higher levels of acid gases, mostly based on sulphur and chlorine. Stainless steel components can be used to counter corrosion, while increasing the bag length and number can aid in restoring ideal filtration velocities. An alternative would be to replace traditional bags with extended surface bags, since this has the lowest investment cost, such as his company’s StarBag or PrimaFlow bags.

 Angelo Fornari gave the final presentation at the conference by introducing the Eco Eridania company of Italy, which is a leading waste collection, treatment and valorisation entity in Italy and the wider European region. Smoco S.r.l. became part of the parent company in 2023, and is largely engaged in microcollections, waste processing and intralogistics of TDF, RDF and SRF.

 The conference programme wrapped-up with an audience-based discussion of the hottest AF topics.

Prize-giving, Farewells, and Field Trip
After the conclusion of the conference programme, delegates met in the Congress Centre’s bar to say their farewells, and to hear which of the event’s 20 speakers had won the best presentation awards. In fact, in third place was Michael Suppaner of A TEC, with his presentation on cement’s ‘CO2 puzzle.’ Kirstie Jones-Williams of Geminor was in second place with her paper on AF in Scandinavia, while in first place for his well-presented paper on process housekeeping for increased AF TSR was Matthias Schumacher of aixprocess.

On the day after the conference, some 50 delegates visited Heidelberg Materials' Rezzato-Mazzano cement plant, to see the alternative fuels handling facilities of this exceptionally clean and well-laid-out cement plant. Delegates were uniformly impressed with the facility and were thankful for the warm welcome extended to them by the plant management and workers.
 
The event was strongly praised by delegates for its smooth organisation, excellent networking and technical content. The 19th Global CemFuels Conference will take place in Geneva on 23-24 September 2026. See you there!

What did the delegates say about Global CemFuels in Milan in 2025?

• Well organised
• Cool and relaxed atmosphere
• Can't wait for the next
• Great for networking and discussion
• Lots of enthusiasm
• Exceeding my expectations
• Good energy manipulation
• Great atmosphere for networking and meeting clients, partners and friends
• Once again, it managed to bring together people from the waste management sector and the cement industry, creating prospects for cooperation.
• Always great to be here for networking
• For us as newcomers it was a warm welcome and a very pleasant, professional atmosphere
• Keep going. That's a good specialized place to be
• Good time management...
• Thanks for perfect organisation!
• Loved the organisers - very friendly and willing to go out of their way to help you as well as keeping the conference running smoothly.
• Timing of conferences, networking and exhibition area are perfectly balanced
• Always a pleasure to participate!
• Very well organised conference for technical knowledge and practical experience exchange
• Excellent
• THE historical and best conference about alternative fuel
• The location for Gala Dinner was really excellent
• Thank you!
• Was great to meet all again
• It was a great possibility to get deeper into the topic of AF. Networking was great as well.
• I'll be back... in Geneva 2026!

Below: Delegates at the field trip to Heidelberg Materials' Rezzato-MAzzano plant.