Skip to main content

MVW Lechtenberg & Partner hosts 1st Alternative Fuels Symposium

World Cement,


After successful company development in the field of alternative fuels development, especially consultancy and project development, MVW Lechtenberg & partner hosted the 1st Alternative Fuels Symposium and Workshop. More than 150 attendees from the worldwide cement, lime and power generating industry accepted the invitation to the 2-day event at the end of October.

The topic – current use and developments in alternative fuels – is becoming more and more important to the worldwide industry, as was illustrated by the origin of the participants who came from more than 45 countries, making this the biggest alternative fuel conference ever.



On the first day, the Technical Workshop focused on processing, storage, dosing and feeding of alternative fuels/ refuse derived fuels (RDF) in waste management, cement, lime and waste-to-energy industries. Moderated by Nandini Mitra, the well-known German TV moderator, experts from leading equipment providers such as Di Matteo, FLSmidth Pfister, Untha Shredding, Lindner Recyclingtech, Metso Minerals, Schenck Process, Walter Materials Handling and others, presented the latest developments in this area.

Special attention was given to the presentation of Dr. Kern from A TEC in Austria, which presented the newest development, called the ‘Rocket Mill’, for fine grinding and drying of RDF in order to achieve a higher substitution rate.

Bernd Neumann, former Vice President of Schenck Process, Germany gave a brilliant presentation and suggestion for more objective thinking at the alternative fuel concept phase and project realisation. In many alternative fuels projects it has been seen that the processing of alternative fuels is not according to the developed storage dosing and feeding systems. In many plants waste – not processed alternative fuels – are delivered, which shows a greater need for professional project development and consultancy.

Ulrich Ahlmer, responsible for alternative fuel usage at HeidelbergCement’s Ennigerloh plant, Germany, explained how his plant achieved a substitution rate of more than 60% with alternative fuels: “Alternative fuels are now our “standard” fuels – and we are working on a 100% alternative fuels rate”.

Ziad Habib, responsible for R&D at Lhoist Group, Belgium, told how lime plants have even higher quality requirements for alternative fuels. In a lively discussion with other attending lime producers, such as Carmeuse Group, the quality-related issues in achieving high substitution rates were discussed. Before alternative fuels become a standard fuel in this industry, several RDF producers have to identify suitable raw materials – in competition with other industries.

Other topics included the impact on emissions, new regulatory developments, e.g. the Industrial emission directive (IED) in Europe, and the fuel crisis in some North African states such as Egypt.

During the evening, the attendees were able to visit some attractions in the village of Ruhrort, which is at the mouth of the river Ruhr into the River Rhine, and since 300 years Home of the Port. Besides the museum of the Company Haniel in which the conference took place, a historical Mississippi Steam boat was also visited before a joint dinner and a visit to a cultural club with live music to end the first day.

On the second day, at the Alternative Fuel Symposium, new optimisation technologies were presented as well as developments on alternative fuels/RDF markets in USA and Europe.

The “Ecotrain” concept, developed by MVW Lechtenberg for the supply of refuse derived fuels in an environmental friendly manner was explained by Prof. Ing. Thomas Schlipköther, COO of the Duisport Company, the infrastructure owner of the biggest inner port in the world. As RDF is becoming especially in Europe a commodity, new concepts for the Transfrontier shipments have to be developed using intermodal transport solutions by vessels, barge and train. A dedicated train connection to supply RDF now connects producers in the UK and waste-to-energy facilities and cement plants in the eastern part of Germany.

Bernard Kemper, the new CEO of Energy from Waste GmbH, the former E.on Company and biggest waste to energy provider with a capacity of 5 million t in Germany discussed the “competition” between waste-to-energy facilities and cement plants. He explained that the cement industry needs high calorific value RDF, produced mainly from post-industrial wastes. Such wastes are separately collected in a dedicated market so there is no competition with waste-to-energy plants, as they take mainly low calorific value RDF produced from municipal and other mixed wastes.

Dirk Lechtenberg made a last presentation, explaining the company developments of MVW Lechtenberg & partner and the goals achieved in using alternative fuels in cement, lime and power generating plants all over the world.

During the celebration evening, delegates took a boat tour through the Port of Duisburg before a joint dinner in the German Shipping museum, thus concluding the biggest alternative fuel event to date.

Pictures from the event can be found on World Cement’s Facebook page.


Written by MVW Lechtenberg & Partner.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/09122014/mvw-lechtenberg-partner-hosts-first-alternative-fuels-symposium-982/

You might also like

 
 

Embed article link: (copy the HTML code below):