Alternative Fuels

Summary

Cement Australia has an internal and voluntary policy to use non-traditional raw materials and fuels for clinker production. The policy aims to provide environmental, economic and social benefits by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and using wastes and by-products as a fuel source which not only reduce costs but replace coal which would otherwise fuel the kiln. Cement kilns can be used to destroy wastes and by-products while extracting the calorific heating value due to the high temperatures (1500 to 1800 degrees Celsius) and long residence times (> 4 to 6 seconds). Alternative fuels that have been used at the Cement Australia plant in Gladstone include:

• domestic tyres which have typically been disposed to landfill
• solvent-based fuels prepared from hazardous and combustible wastes
• spent cell linings from the Boyne aluminium smelter

Industry

Industry Sector	Specific Industry
cement sector	cement manufacturing
automotive sector	tyres
chemical sector	hazardous chemicals
mining and minerals sector	aluminium smelter

Region

Gladstone Industrial Area, Gladstone, Queensland, Australia

Applied Technologies

None.

Triple Bottom Line Aspects (direct at operational level)

Economic	savings in fuel costs for cement plant produces more cost effective disposal of wastes
Environmental	improved emissions compared with traditional fuel, coal improved re-use of wastes, historically bound for landfill
Social	increased life of local landfill

Additional Comments

None.

References

• Corder, G (2005) "Potential Synergy Opportunities in the Gladstone Industrial Region", CSRP Report (for Project 3C1), June 2005

Last Update

31 October 2005