Technological Energy Efficiency Improvements in Cement Industries

Alessandra Cantini, Leonardo Leoni, Filippo De Carlo, Marcello Salvio, Chiara Martini and Fabrizio Martini
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Alessandra Cantini: Department of Industrial Engineering (DIEF), University of Florence, Viale Morgagni, 40, 50134 Florence, Italy
Leonardo Leoni: Department of Industrial Engineering (DIEF), University of Florence, Viale Morgagni, 40, 50134 Florence, Italy
Filippo De Carlo: Department of Industrial Engineering (DIEF), University of Florence, Viale Morgagni, 40, 50134 Florence, Italy
Marcello Salvio: DUEE-SPS-ESE Laboratory, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Lungotevere Thaon di Revel, 76, 00196 Rome, Italy
Chiara Martini: DUEE-SPS-ESE Laboratory, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Lungotevere Thaon di Revel, 76, 00196 Rome, Italy
Fabrizio Martini: DUEE-SPS-ESE Laboratory, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Lungotevere Thaon di Revel, 76, 00196 Rome, Italy

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 7, 1-28

Abstract: The cement industry is highly energy-intensive, consuming approximately 7% of global industrial energy consumption each year. Improving production technology is a good strategy to reduce the energy needs of a cement plant. The market offers a wide variety of alternative solutions; besides, the literature already provides reviews of opportunities to improve energy efficiency in a cement plant. However, the technology is constantly developing, so the available alternatives may change within a few years. To keep the knowledge updated, investigating the current attractiveness of each solution is pivotal to analyze real companies. This article aims at describing the recent application in the Italian cement industry and the future perspectives of technologies. A sample of plant was investigated through the analysis of mandatory energy audit considering the type of interventions they have recently implemented, or they intend to implement. The outcome is a descriptive analysis, useful for companies willing to improve their sustainability. Results prove that solutions to reduce the energy consumption of auxiliary systems such as compressors, engines, and pumps are currently the most attractive opportunities. Moreover, the results prove that consulting sector experts enables the collection of updated ideas for improving technologies, thus giving valuable inputs to the scientific research.

Keywords: cement manufacturing plant; energy savings; technology solutions; Italian companies; descriptive analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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