Strategies for the utilization of alternative fuels in the cement industry

Abstract

One of the most energy-intensive industries in Taiwan is the cement industry. With the increasing awareness of the need to reduce carbon emissions, the cement industry in Taiwan is under huge pressure to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The use of alternative fuels (AFs) is an option to reduce the use of fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The objectives of this study are to review and analyze the experiences of using AFs in the cement industry in Germany and Japan. The contribution of AFs to total thermal energy demand in the cement industry of Germany reached 64.6% in 2015. In Japan, the contribution of AFs to total thermal energy demand reached 16.4% in 2014. The analysis of specific alternative fuels shows that the level of usage of AFs in one cement plant in Taiwan is less than that of Japan and much lower than that of Germany. This paper provides a comparison, barriers and recommendations for the use of AFs in the cement industry, particularly in Taiwan.

Keywords

• alternative fuels
• cement industry
• safs