Cement Energy and Environment

ENERGY CONSERVATION AND REDUCTION Of GREENHOUSE GASES EMISSION IN INDIAN CEMENT INDUSTRY K.M. Kavadia, G.M. (Projects) Gujarat Ambuja Cements Limited, Mumbai INTRODUCTION I t is more evident than ever before that global , regional and local envi ronmental deterioration is affecting the habitability of the planet. As a result, societal well-being as well as the working of political, nationa l and g lo bal economies, and political interactions among nations are also affected. Al though the management and use of modern technology have contributed to the present envi ronmental situation, it is also a fact that a proper application of engineering and technology can provide solutions to many of the environmental problems. Over the past two decades, concerns have intensified abo ut the decrease in stratospheric ozone, projected global warming, effects of acid rain, pollution of coastal regions, accumulation of trace pollutants in the biosphere, and increasing difficulties in the disposal of nuclear and hazardous wastes. In sum, we are nowat a point where balancing economic growth and environmental practices makes it ever more urgent to design and apply environmentally innovative engineering/technology. Global demand for clean energy - natural gas. renewabl e energy sources, electricity and new energy technologies, incl ud ing hydrogen, will outpace the overall demand for energy, incl uding oil and coal. Which means that the market share of carbon-rich fuels will diminish, even as the demand for other sources of energy w ill grow. For instance, great breakthroughs are likely o n the hydrogen front, which will totally transform the energy scene for the better. As defined in 1987 by the United Nations World Commission on Environment &.. Development, "sustainable development meets the needs of the present witho ut compromising the needs of future generations". A major reason for the tardy progress in the implementation of this concept is that translating the concept of sustainability by the business world has proven to be very difficult. In 1988, the World Meteorological Union and the UNEP created the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to assess and monitor climate science 10 in three areas : the degree to which human activities may affect climate the potential impacts of climate change, and response options to slow down or counter climate change Many human activ ities contribute to the release of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere. Energy production in the electricity, transportation and industrial sectors account fo r the major share of C0 2 emission, althoug h tropical deforestation and land use change are no insignificant sources, either. GHG mitigation measures are commonly grouped into three broad categories : i) ii ) iii) Avoiding production (and emission) of C0 2 in the first place : Options include improving the efficiency with w hich energy is generated , transmitted , and consumed; switching from carbon intensive fuels, such as coal to low carbon intensive fuels, such as natural gas or renewable energy sources; and preventing deforestation. Removing C0 2 from the atmosphere : Options i nclude plant ing m ore t rees and improvi ng management and growth of the existing ones which act as "carbon sinks" , changing agricultural practices t o increase soil carbon uptake, o r growing and utilising energy crops. Reducing the emissions or production of other GHG's : Non C0 2 mitigation options include reducing emissions of methane from coal mines, gas pipelines, o r livestock; reducing N 2 0 emissions from biomass burning or agricultural fertilizer use; o r reducing emissions of ch loro flu oro carbons (CFC's) or similar substances.