Spain: The regional government of Extremadura has granted a licence to Cementos Balboa for the use olive pumice and tyres as alternative fuels (AF) at its Alconera cement plant. Agencia EFE has reported that the company has begun work on modifications to the plant’s kiln line in order to enable it to reach a thermal substitution rate of 70%. The project includes building reception, storage, dosage and injection units for the fuels. Once complete the plant aims to process 130,000t/yr of olive pomace, 121,000t/yr of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and 69,000t/yr of tyres. The plant currently uses petcoke.
Polish Cement Association warns of possible long-term alternative fuel shortage
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
India: 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.
Geminor France begins solid recovered fuel exports to Spain
France: Norway-based Geminor subsidiary Geminor France has dispatched a truckload of solid recovered fuel (SRF) to a cement plant in Spain. The SRF is made from wood and textile foam from used furniture. The company says that the delivery is the first of continual 100t/week of exports to the producer. It is also exporting waste-derived fuels from France to other countries in Europe including Denmark.
Senior account and development manager Kai Schöpwinkel said, “There is a positive development at the moment in regards to better collecting and sorting of French waste. Now there is a focus on increasing the combustion capacity for energy recovery, and new waste-to-energy plants are being developed. Stricter requirements from the Government and the European Union (EU) also give incentives to develop high-quality fractions such as SRF based on furniture. The goal is to reduce landfill by 50% by the end of 2025, which will also make France into a growing market for export.” He added, “Covid-19 is leading to a waste deficit in the European market, which is now contributing to the opening of new waste streams from France. We believe this is just the beginning of a growing waste export from this country.”