Displaying items by tag: Refuse Derived Fuel
Iraq: Germany-based Eggersmann Group has commissioned a 1040t/day refuse-derived fuel (RDF) plant in Sulaymaniyah municipality. The unit uses the company’s biological drying process to increase the yield of RDF from the municipal solid waste (MSW) it receives. Waste & Recycling Middle East and Africa previously reported that the plant can achieve a landfill diversion rate of 80%. A local cement producer will operate the facility and receive MSW from the region for a fee.
Lafarge France completes waste processing line upgrade at Port-La-Nouvelle cement plant
09 March 2021France: LafargeHolcim subsidiary Lafarge France has completed a Euro6m modernisation of the two waste processing lines at its Port-La-Nouvelle cement plant. The final phase of modernisation aimed at increasing dosing and injection capacities, optimising unloading, replacing fire detection and protection systems and expanding the control laboratory. The company said that the modernisation will enable it to use 80,000t/yr of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) in cement production at the plant. It says that this will reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 30,000t/yr. As a result, the plant’s fossil fuel consumption will decline by 75% in 2021 and by 90% in 2022 compared to 2020 levels. Its long-term aim is to become Europe’s first fossil fuel-free cement plant.
Poland: The Polish Cement Producers Association (CPA) has warned of the possible effects of planned new environmental regulations on the cement industry’s supply of alternative fuel (AF). New regulations from the Ministry of Climate and Environment could potentially ban the use of some common fractions of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) at cement plants. The association says that this may precipitate a fuel shortage for cement producers for years to come. In 2020, Polish cement plants used 1.6Mt of RDF. The association added that RDF production for cement plants diverts 10% of total municipal waste from landfill.
CPA chair Krzysztof Kieres said, “The cement industry contributes to both saving natural resources and improving the quality of the environment, including by reducing the amount of waste deposited in landfills.”
The association said that the Polish cement industry has invested Euro2.23bn in modernisation since 1990, in large part in kiln line upgrades to reach its current AF substitution rate of 70%. Its AF substitution target is currently 90%.
Indian Army commissions waste-to-fuel processing plant
01 February 2021India: The Indian Army has commissioned a 5t/day waste-to-fuel processing plant in Ambala Cantonment, Haryana. The Times of India newspaper has reported that the plant will produce refuse-derived fuel (RDF) for cement plants from various waste fractions. The total investment cost of the facility was around US$100,00.
Untha supplies Geocycle Argentina with a new one-step shredder
17 December 2020Argentina: LafargeHolcim waste management subsidiary Geocycle has begun shredding waste at its Córdoba co-processing plant using a new Untha XR3000C one-step shredder supplied by Austria-based Untha. The shredder will produce refuse-derived fuel (RDF) for use at LafargeHolcim’s Córdoba cement plant. It is the 10th Untha shredder Geocycle has commissioned.
Director Mariano Bollo said, “Geocycle Argentina is no stranger to waste shredding for alternative fuel (AF) production. We previously used a dual-shaft machine manufactured by a competitor of Untha’s, but the capacity and reliability of our machine continued to cause us problems. Untha’s low speed, high torque drive means this is a powerful machine with impressive uptime, ease of maintenance and proven capabilities. This – combined with the shredder’s versatility – meant the business case to switch to an XR was strong. While we think carefully about every decision we make, to ensure each shredder we invest in has absolutely the right configuration for every single plant, we now run a number of Untha machines across our global group,” continued Mariano. “The whole life operating costs of this shredder are extremely low, which means we can consistently produce a profitable, environmentally-sound fuel. It therefore comes as little surprise that we’re looking to standardise the technology we use across our business. This has benefits when it comes to procuring and sharing spare and wear parts too. Working in collaboration with Untha’s local engineering specialists, Geocycle is now optimising the design and layout of the waste processing line to double throughputs in early 2021. This XR investment aligns with our global AF production strategy, which doesn’t just improve our cement manufacturing footprint worldwide – it transforms the environmental status of our local communities too.”
Republic Cement seeks suppliers for plastics co-processing target
11 December 2020Philippines: Aboitiz Equity Ventures and CRH subsidiary Republic Cement says that it is seeking partners to supply it with plastic waste, which it can co-process as refuse-derived fuel (RDF). The Business World newspaper has reported that the company has set a target of 10m plastic bags/day by 2021.
President and chief executive officer Nabil Francis said, “We would like to commit to a very ambitious target next year, and this target is to co-process not less than 10m equivalent of plastic bags/day, starting from the very beginning of next year.” Angela Edralin-Valencia, the resource recovery director of Republic Cement’s Ecoloop division, said, "It's going to be double what we are currently doing, and it's just the beginning.”
SungShin Cement orders two FLSmidth HotDiscs
10 November 2020South Korea: SungShin Cement has placed an order with Denmark-based FLSmidth for the supply of two HotPlate combustion devices for installation in lines three and six of its SungShin cement plant. The plant is in the transition from coal fuel to the possibility of 100% alternative fuel (AF) use in the two lines, which it plans to commission in mid and late 2021 respectively.
Team manager of production technology Cho K-R said, “With its degree of flexibility, the HotDisc allows us to substitute coal with a wide range of AFs – refuse-derived fuel (RDF) in our case. As we turn waste into energy, the HotDisc lowers our operating costs without compromising energy efficiency.”
FLSmidth previously delivered two HotDiscs to South Korea, to SsangYong’s Donghae and Yeongwool cement plants.
Environmental Protection Agency schedules alternative fuels hearing in December 2020 for Irish Cement’s Limerick plant
09 November 2020Ireland: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a new date of 2 December 2020 for the hearing of objections against Irish Cement’s refuse-derived fuel (RDF) substitution plans at its Limerick plant. It was postponed from May 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to the Irish Examiner newspaper. The hearing will take place remotely due to local coronavirus-related social distancing rules.
Irish Cement received its preliminary licence to burn up to 90,000t/yr of RDF at its Limerick plant in September 2019. However, the agency has allowed an oral hearing due to local feeling on the matter. In a separate incident the integrated plant was previously fined Euro4000 for dust emissions in late 2018.
Emirates RDF starts refuse-derived fuel production in UAE
01 October 2020UAE: Belgium-based Besix, Finland-based Griffin Refineries and Tech Group Echo subsidiary Emirates RDF has announced the start of production at its 365,000t/yr-capacity refuse-derived fuel (RDF) plant in Umm Al Quwain, according to Trade Arabia News. General manager Nicolaas de Koning said, “Emirates RDF is delighted that, after intensive cooperation with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and the Ministry of Presidential Affairs President’s Initiatives Committee, the RDF facility has launched the production of high-quality alternative fuel for factories in the region.”
Cemex Holdings Philippines and Nestlé Philippines sign plastic waste partnership agreement
28 August 2020Philippines: Cemex Holdings Philippines has announced the signing of a partnership agreement for the supply of post-consumer plastic waste by foods producer Nestlé Philippines as fuel for co-processing in Cemex Holdings Philippines’ cement plants. The Manila Bulletin has reported that the deal is part of Nestlé’s efforts towards achieving zero packaging waste globally by 2025.
Cemex Holdings Philippines president and CEO Ignacio Mijares Elizondo said, “We recognise and gladly support Nestlé’s commitment to tackling plastic waste. Cemex and Nestlé have a shared vision to make a significant difference and contribute to the economic, social and environmental growth of the Philippines. A green environment will always be at the centre of Cemex Holdings Philippines’ ‘Build A Nation Together’ corporate social responsibility efforts. Our advocacies are dedicated to uplift lives and communities and to protect the environment.”