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Efficiency Assessment of the Production of Alternative Fuels of High Usable Quality within the Circular Economy: An Example from the Cement Sector

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  • Mariusz Niekurzak

    (Faculty of Management, AGH University of Krakow, 30-067 Krakow, Poland)

  • Wojciech Lewicki

    (Faculty of Economics, West Pomeranian University of Technology Szczecin, 71-210 Szczecin, Poland)

  • Jacek Wróbel

    (Department of Bioengineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, 71-210 Szczecin, Poland)

Abstract

This article aims to present the mechanisms regulating the waste management system of one of the European countries that affect the cement industry. This publication analyses the possibility of using selected fractions of municipal and industrial waste as alternative fuels, including an analysis of ecological costs and benefits. The methodology includes the analysis of production data and the calculation of savings resulting from the use of alternative fuels. On this basis, ecological aspects were also indicated that should be taken into account when analyzing the profitability of the investment. Production data from an example Polish cement plant were used to analyze the research problem. Based on the guidelines of environmental standards and technical specifications, the parameters that PASr alternative fuels should meet were calculated in the company laboratory. This fuel type was then calculated in terms of emission intensity and production efficiency. The research results obtained in this paper study emphasize that the change in cement clinker production technology toward the use of waste raw materials and secondary fuels does not lead to an increase in heavy metal emissions to the extent that would justify qualifying cement as a material requiring systematic control of its harmful impacts on humans and the natural environment. The conclusions show that the use of alternative fuels reduces CO 2 emissions and production costs, without negatively affecting the efficiency and production volume. The average energy requirement for the production of 1 ton of cement is approximately 3.3 GJ, which corresponds to 120 kg of coal with a calorific value of 27.5 MJ per kg. Energy costs account for 30–40% of the total cement production costs. Replacing alternative fuels with fossil fuels will help reduce energy costs, providing a competitive advantage for cement plants that use it as an energy source. The presented considerations can provide an answer to all interested parties, including representatives of the executive and legislative authorities, on what path the sector should follow to fit into the idea of sustainable building materials and the circular economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Mariusz Niekurzak & Wojciech Lewicki & Jacek Wróbel, 2024. "Efficiency Assessment of the Production of Alternative Fuels of High Usable Quality within the Circular Economy: An Example from the Cement Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-19, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:20:p:8762-:d:1495895
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mariusz Niekurzak & Wojciech Lewicki & Hasan Huseyin Coban & Agnieszka Brelik, 2023. "Conceptual Design of a Semi-Automatic Process Line for Recycling Photovoltaic Panels as a Way to Ecological Sustainable Production," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-20, February.
    2. Lovcha, Yuliya & Perez-Laborda, Alejandro & Sikora, Iryna, 2022. "The determinants of CO2 prices in the EU emission trading system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 305(C).
    3. Mariusz Niekurzak & Wojciech Lewicki & Hasan Huseyin Coban & Milena Bera, 2023. "A Model to Reduce Machine Changeover Time and Improve Production Efficiency in an Automotive Manufacturing Organisation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-22, July.
    4. Mariusz Niekurzak, 2021. "Determining the Unit Values of the Allocation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions for the Production of Biofuels in the Life Cycle," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-18, December.
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