Biomass to support carbon neutrality

SINTEF and INSEE Vietnam, presented by Bruno Fux

Content of the presentation
• Biomass: what are we talking about?
• Co-processing as sustainable treatment concept
• Benefits of co-processing biomass
• Barriers and drivers for biomass usage
• Case study: Hon Chong / INSEE Vietnam
• Conclusion

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 Biomass: What are we talking about?
• Biomass = plant or animal-based origin, rich in organic matter
• Plant based biomass = carbon neutral
• Examples (non exhaustive)
 Rice husks
 Coffee husks
 Coconut shells
 Bagasse
 Cashew nut husks
 Wood waste
 …

MSW (municipal solid waste) and sewage sludge

also contain biogenic carbon, but are not discussed
in this presentation

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Biomass waste treatment: traditional approach in Asia…

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…and its negative impacts.

Source: Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) (http://toolkit.pops.int/publish/main/II_06_OpenBurning.html)

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What is co-processing and why is it a sustainable treatment technology,
higher up the waste management hierarchy compared to incineration

Co-processing is the simultaneous recovery of energy and the

recycling of minerals contained in pre-processed
Alternative Fuel and Raw Materials (AFR) in
energy intensive industries such as cement

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Biomass waste is one of the potential alternative fuels and raw materials

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Generation of selected biomass streams
SN Biomass Generation (factor) Generation process Availability Major generators Current utilisation
1 Rice husk 20% of paddy is Rice During milling of rice 134 Mt (2010) China, India, Indonesia, Animal feed,
husk Vietnam, Myanmar, Composting,
0.2-2 t/ ha Thailand, USA Biomass-power plants
2 Coconut shell 0.15 t / t of Coconut Shell during 9.3 Mt Indonesia, Philippines, In making Charcoal
processing of Copra (+20.7 Mt husk) India, Sri Lanka, Thailand
3 Wood waste Waste wood from 46 Mt Europe and Asia Furniture, fuelwood
processing or used
wood
4 Bamboo 17 t bamboo/ha From processing 389 Mt (2005) China, India, Nigeria, Furniture, fuelwood
Waste variable (peeling, stripping) Myanmar, Malaysia
5 Coffee husk 1 t / t of Coffee From dry processing 3.8 Mt (2012) Ethiopia, Brazil, Vietnam,
of Coffee beans Indonesia
6 Bagasse 0.25 t/ t of Sugarcane When sugar is 326 Mt (2009) Brazil, China, India Most quantity used in
extracted from cane in captive boilers/ co-
a mill generation plants
7 Animal meal/ Meat 0.15 t/ t of Raw From rendering* 8 Mt (2009) USA, France Germany, Animal feed, fertiliser,
and Bone Meal materials plants Spain, Brazil waste to energy
(MBM) plants (in case of
health crisis)
8 Poultry/ Chicken litter 1-1.5 t/ 1000 birds Waste lying on Poultry ~ 65 Mt (2010) USA, China, Brazil, EU-27 Fertiliser, waste to
(Broilers and Roaster) floor (saw dust, wood energy plants
shavings etc)
* Rendering is a sterilisation process where the raw materials from slaughterhouses and meat production facilities are heated at 1330C at 3 bar pressure for 20 mins.
Data from Dirk, L., Diller, H., 2012 and 2012a
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Multiple benefits of co-processing biomass waste
• Calorific value => substitution of fossil fuels, potential cost benefit
• Example rice husk: silica content => raw mix improvement
• CO2 neutrality => significant for regulated markets
• Complete energy- and material recovery
• Relative high energy efficiency
• Address issues of stubble burning (for example in North India) causing
significant long range PM emissions

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Barriers for increased biomass use in cement production

• Quality requirements
• Availability/seasonality
• Competition
• Investments
• Costs
• Energy efficiency
• Regulatory framework

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Use of biomass in the cement industry
• Share of different types of waste used as alternative fuels by large
international cement companies (data from IFC, 2017)

Holcim Cemex Heidelberg Italcementi Lafarge

Agricultural waste 9% 10 % 4.1% 11.1%
Wood chip and other biomass 15 % 5% 24.5% 25.1%
Meat and bone meal 2% 4% 6.1% 15.7%
Impregnated sawdust 6%
All other wastes 68 % 81 % 65.3% 73.2% 74.9%

The cement industry is estimated to utilize 30 million tons/ year of biomass

which is roughly three per cent of its fuel requirements.

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Calorific value of biomass and CO2 reduced by its utilisation

SN Biomass Calorific value* Biomass to coal t CO2 reduction / t

ratio** Biomass***
1 Rice husk 3400 kcal/kg 0,68 1,37
2 Coconut shell 4400 kcal/kg 0,88 1,77
3 Wood waste 3700 kcal/kg 0,74 1,49
4 Bamboo 3820 kcal/kg 0,76 1,54
5 Bagasse 1860 kcal/kg 0,37 0,75
6 Sugarcane stalk 3580 kcal/kg 0,72 1,44
7 Animal meal/MBM 4200 kcal/kg 0,84 1,69
8 Coffee husk 4060 kcal/kg 0,81 1,63
9 Poultry/Chicken litter 3000 kcal/kg 0,60 1,21
* Data from Dirk, L., Diller, H., 2012 and 2012a
** Calorific value of coal is assumed in 5000 kcal/kg (21 GJ/t) which is the approximate average calorific value of coal used in
Asian cement industry
*** Biomass is carbon neutral- the CO2 reduced is because of substituting coal; t CO2 / t coal is estimated as 2.01 based on
IPCC default factor of 96 kg CO2/GJ

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Case study: rice husk use at Hon Chong cement plant (INSEE Vietnam)
• Volumes reduced over time => increased costs per ton
• Currently no more direct feeding, financially not attractive
• Rice husk is used for mixing other wastes (moisture reduction, improved
handling)
Cost of various biomass in Vietnam compared to coal – all costs in USD*/GJ
Cost of Coal Cost of Rice husk Cost of Cashew husk Corncob Baggase Sawdust
3.5-4.3 3.0-5.0 3.7-4.3 4.8-5.6 6.7-8.2 6.0-8.6
*1 USD = 23 125 VND (Vietnamese Dong)

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Conclusion
• Plant based biomass is considered carbon neutral; as such, it plays an
important role in carbon neutral strategies of cement producers
• Co-processing of biomass in cement kilns leads to complete energy- and
material recovery and is considered more energy efficient compared to
biomass-based power plants and produces no residues
• Technical solutions are available, one of biggest barriers is delivery to
cement plants at acceptable costs and quality, amongst others.
• Biomass for fuel production should never compete with food supply and
the subsistence of communities.

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Author bio (Dr. Kåre Helge Karstensen)
• Dr. Kåre Helge Karstensen is working as the
Chief scientist at the Foundation of Scientific
and Industrial Research SINTEF in Norway.
SINTEF is one of the leading research
organisations in Europe with more than 2000
employees from 75 countries.
• Dr. Karstensen has published crucial R&D
findings on the possibilities and limitations of
co-processing in key scientific and technical
journals with more than 120 peer reviewed
publications, books and book-chapters, > 400
scientific reports and > 300 oral presentations
at International conferences.

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Author bio (Palash Kumar Saha)
• Mr. Palash is based out of Oslo, Norway and has been
working with SINTEF as a researcher since 2014 on
large international/ bilateral projects on waste
management, funded by Norwegian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Norad.
• Before SINTEF, he has worked with Geocycle for 8+
years in functions such as supply chain, business
development, projects and operations.
• He has authored/co-authored articles, book chapters,
scientific reports and provided many oral presentations
at international conferences, workshops, training courses
on waste management issues.

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Presenter bio (Bruno Fux)
• Mr. Bruno Fux, Swiss National, has a Master of
Management from the University of Fribourg,
Switzerland.
• He spent more than 15 years of his professional career
in sustainable waste management for major multinational
companies in the construction industry.
• As part of the Executive Committee of INSEE Vietnam,
he is proud of the companies’ achievements in green
manufacturing, circular economy and sustainable
development in general.

(contact: bruno.fux@siamcitycement.com / +84963999054)

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Because tomorrow matters

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