Global CemFuels News

Mexico: Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim’s US subsidiary Geocycle has signed an agreement with the City Council of Macuspana in Tabasco for the removal of 21,600t/yr of inorganic waste for sale to cement producers as alternative fuel (AF) for calciners. The company has inaugurated a US$1.3m waste processing plant for the purposes of meeting its commitment. Geocycle Mexico general director Sven Ritschard said, “This typifies the circular economy and is positive for all parties involved.” The waste would otherwise have gone to landfill.

India: The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) in Andhra Pradesh has started transporting refuse-derived fuel (RDF) from its recycling unit at Ajit Singh Nagar to UltraTech’s Balaji cement plant. Under the agreement between the city and the cement producer the plant takes 50t/day of RDF according to the New Indian Express newspaper. The city authorities sort dry waste into RDF and the cement company handles the transportation.

Namibia: Ohorongo Cement has supported Carbo Namibia, one of its charcoal suppliers, in buying a new 80m3 side tipper truck worth around US$47,000. The move is intended to increase the volumes of charcoal fines the supplier can deliver. The cement producer uses charcoal fines as an alternative fuel at its plant.

It started procuring charcoal fines from Carbo Namibia in 2016 through the Ohorongo Energy for Future (EFF) project. It started with an initial supply of 786t/yr and has since grown to 5000t/yr in 2018, with a total of 11,000t to date. Its overall alternative fuels substitution rate is 42.7% and it has a target of 56% by 2020 and a long-term goal of reaching 80%. At present Ohorongo Cement says that its substitution rate breaks down into 58% woodchips, 28% refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and 14% charcoal.

Poland: Figures from the Polish Cement Producers’ Association (SPC) have shown a 30% reduction in specific CO2 emissions over the 30-year period from 31 December 2019 to the projected figure for 31 December 2019 due to the co-processing of alternative fuels (AFs) by cement producers in the country. It estimated a total cost of investments of Euro2.34bn but said that further developments would be slowed in the absence of governmental action to raise electricity and emissions costs for more pollutant competitors.

Lafarge Poland leads the pack in terms of AF substitution, meeting 75% of its fuel needs (0.4Mt/yr) with prepared unrecyclable refuse-derived fuel (RDF). The company says it will increase this figure to 0.5Mt/yr in 2022. Speaking of the planned 25% increase, Lafarge Poland president Xavuer Guesnu said “Concrete and cement products need not be a problem, but rather a solution to contemporary challenges both urban and climatic.” The LafargeHolcim subsidiary operates a 0.2Mt/yr RDF processing plant at its 2.0Mt/yr integrated Kujawy w Blelawach cement plant.

Kenya: 58% LafargeHolcim subsidiary Bamburi Cement has set out an ambitious alternative fuel plan. In a statement, it said that it would aim to use 30% biomass-derived fuel in cement kilns at its 1.1Mt/yr integrated Mombasa plant. The figure currently stands at 12%. Municipal waste and tyres were among other fuel sources targeted for substitution. In a first step towards achieving this, Bamburi Cement has signed a supply agreement with the Port of Mombasa for confiscated cargoes.

Since 26 September 2019, Bamburi has received waste fuel oil from Shell petrol stations across Kenya via its subsidiary Geocycle at a rate of 240t/yr. In co-processing the oil, Bamburi is helping dispose of some of the 60,000t of waste petroleum produced in Kenya annually. Afrik21 has reported that, with an expenditure of US$5.8m in 2018, alternative fuel substitution is an attempt by the company to reduce untenable operating costs, notably including electricity costs of US$87/MWh. “Bamburi is looking at more partnerships for the disposal of various types of waste as we work to contribute to environmental conservation as part of our sustainability ambitions,” said Bamburi Cement managing director Seddiq Hassani.