Energy needs of cement industry may double in two years, India
According to Mr M Vasudeva director general of National Council for Cement & Building Materials, the energy requirement of cement industry is likely to go up by over 50% in the next 2 years and there is a need to adopt more efficient and eco friendly fuels.
Mr Vasudeva, while addressing at the inaugural session of ”Green Cementech 2008” recently, said that the total capacity of the cement industry is poised to reach 350 million tonnes by the end of the 11th Plan from 185Mt at present.
He said that NCB is currently working on nanotechnology based cement production methods which will be more energy efficient and cause less pollution. He added that "Further, we have also submitted a draft on eco friendly norms to be adopted by cement producers to the Pollution Control Board."
Mr KC Jain senior president of Kesoram Cement said that almost all players in the industry had taken up capacity expansion projects. He added that "The capacity expansion being undertaken at present is first of its kind, after removal of controls on cement in 1989. The growth has never been like this."
Mr G Jayaraman chairman of Cementech 2008 said that cement plants are now exploring the use of alternative and waste fuels such as municipal solid water, industrial waste, used tyres and rice husk to replace the use of coal in the kilns. He added that "Over the last 10 years, the electrical energy consumption in the cement industry was reduced by 26.7%, besides an 11% reduction in the thermal energy consumption." Published under Cement News
