Mercuria CSR Report 2021 - Flipbook - Page 58
within a 8-12 GJ/ton range, are supplied within many of N+P’s long term supply contracts, to users within
the UK and within Europe. There are also a number of possibilities for materials which are in-between
the standard RDF and SRF qualities, or mid-CV range (12-16 GJ/ton). For higher quality materials, N+P
typically has a number of solutions all focused on the replacement of primary fossil fuels such as coal,
in various applications all over the world. The growing need for sustainable alternative fuels is an
important element of Mercuria’s partnership with N+P.
N+P is creating a new facility in the United Kingdom (Teesside) that will be one of the most modern
alternative fuel producing facilities in the world. The yearly input capacity will be between 200-250,000
tons, mainly high cv type RDF streams. The output capacity is around 180-220,000 tons of high quality
alternative fuels, designated for both the domestic as well as the international market.
N+P has now started to source and contract non-recyclable waste streams such as MRF rejects, Industrial
Residues and plastic residues for the new Teeside facility.
To substitute solid fossil fuels in industrial processes, N+P is using a patented process called to convert
the higher CV ranges to a high quality fuel pellet. These pellets offer significant value to its end users, as
typically the pellets hold over 80% of the energy compared to coal, whilst still having a biogenic content
of over 50%. The stable and high quality of these fuel pellets has proven itself at a number of different
applications, including cement, lime, steel and power plants.
This process save up to 1.3 tons of CO2 for every ton of coal replaced. This means the production
capacity of the new facility equates to the substitution of approximately 160,000 tons of coal with the
potential savings of 208,000 tons per year of CO2 . There are now plans for a second facility for the UK
market of a similar size.
Which industries will benefit the most from N+P’s alternative
fuels?
N+P’s alternative fuels have properties that are designed so that the fuel can be used in a number
of different energy intensive industries. However, this requires continuous development in order to
improve fuel properties and develop other routes to substitute fossil fuels in industries such as cement
and lime. (See Illustration Below: Value Chain).
For example, the cement industry is currently the biggest user of waste derived alternative fuels. It was
reported in 2016 that cement production globally generated around 2.2 billion tons of CO2 (equivalent
to 8% of the global total) with more than half of these emissions coming from the calcination process.
90% of the industry’s emissions is attributed to the production of cement clinker that results from the
thermal combustion process. Alternative fuels can be used in the calciner and main burner to help kilns
achieve 100% substitution.
Another example is the lime industry: the calcination of limestone (calcium carbonate) to produce
quicklime (calcium oxide). Because of the high quality of the fuel (low ash content), and the different
physical forms which can be produced; alternative fuel used in both vertical as horizontal lime kilns to
substitute the primary fuels.
Alternative fuels can also be used in steel blast furnaces to reduce the coking rate by injecting at the
bottom of the blast furnace using bespoke equipment or together with pulverized or granulated coal
systems.
Alternative fuels can also mitigate the impact of coal fired power stations that still in use. It is a cost
effective option for such power stations to reduce their CO2 emissions and also reduce the cost of using
conventional coal. Recent successful trials proved that 100% coal substitution is possible in a power plant.
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