Global CemFuels News

Mexico: Cemex said in its Integrated Report 2023 that its alternative fuel (AF) substitution rate rose to 37% in 2023. The group attributed the rise to its deployment of hydrogen injection technology.

Cemex said “We continued our global roll-out of hydrogen injection technology, and it's now used in half of our cement plants. In Mexico alone, we made sizeable investments installing new hydrogen units and plan to continue scaling hydrogen use in our operations worldwide.”

Ukraine: The construction of an upcoming waste processing plant in Derhachi, Kharkiv Oblast, is 97% complete. The plant will process 250,000t/yr of waste and create 152 new jobs. Eco Politic News has reported that the plant will also collect landfill gas, which will be used in power generation.

The Ukrainian State Environmental Inspectorate said “Kharkiv is not only one of the largest cities in Ukraine, but also located in the frontline zone, so effective waste management in the city is an indicator not only of environmental awareness but also of readiness for crisis situations.”

India: Fornnax launched its new SR-200 HD dual-shaft primary shredder on 20 March 2024. The supplier says that the launch signifies a major advancement in the field. The SR-200 HD shredder is specially adapted for tyre-derived fuel production. Its slow-speed shafts produce up to 200,000Nm of torque, allowing it to process the most challenging materials. Fornnax secured six pre-launch orders for the shredder, from India, Australia, the Middle East and Europe.

India: ACC and Ambuja Cements' Geoclean has launched two new facilities for sustainable waste management. The Ambuja Marwar pre-processing and co-processing facility in Rajasthan can convert 220,000t/yr of refuse into alternative fuel, while the ACC Jamul co-processing facility will process an additional 120,000t/yr.

The Ambuja Marwar facility, in collaboration with the Ambuja Marwar Farmer Producer Organisation, aims to source 50,000t/yr of agricultural waste from local farmers. This initiative will also increase the plant's thermal substitution rate to 15%. Similarly, the ACC Jamul facility will enhance its thermal substitution rate to 10%, reducing CO₂ emissions through the co-processing of waste in the cement kiln.

UK: Heidelberg Materials' Ribblesdale cement works in Lancashire is participating in a pioneering study to assess the use of ammonia as a hydrogen source for fuelling cement kilns. This 12-month feasibility project, conducted in collaboration with engineering consultants Stopford and Cranfield University, has received funding from Innovate UK through its UK Research and Innovation fund.

The research aims to investigate ammonia as a potentially energy-dense, cost-effective hydrogen carrier for cement manufacturing and other industries. Building on Ribblesdale's successful demonstration of using hydrogen in a net-zero fuel mix for a cement kiln, the new project will focus on the most efficient methods for on-site 'cracking' of ammonia to release hydrogen as kiln fuel.

Marian Garfield, Sustainability Director at Heidelberg Materials UK, said “We have already proved the success of using hydrogen as part of a lower carbon fuel mix, but its storage and transportation are currently technically challenging and expensive. Ammonia could offer a more viable hydrogen source that enhances fuel usage and reduces CO₂ emissions. If successful, this project will pave the way for further investigations into the commercial viability of using ammonia as a hydrogen carrier for combustion in cement production and beyond.”