Meteor: increasing the proportion of alternative fuels at Montalieu-Vercieu
Under its 'France Relance' recovery plan, the French government is putting up 1.2 billion euros to boost the drive for reducing the industrial sector’s greenhouse-gas emissions by creating new support mechanisms that will reinforce the existing mechanisms implemented by the country’s Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME). The latest batch of 42 ‘France Recovery’ beneficiaries announced on Friday, 19 November, 2021, includes our very own ‘Meteor’ project.
Meteor project among 42 new ‘France Recovery’ beneficiaries
Among the 42 new ‘France Recovery’ beneficiaries named by the Minister for Industry, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, at our Montalieu-Vercieu cement plant on Friday, 19 November, 2021, is Vicat’s Meteor project. It heralds innovation and decarbonization that will increase the proportion of alternative fuels used to substitute for fossil fuels, taking the figure from 70% currently to practically 100%. In all, 34,900 metric tons of CO2 emissions will be prevented every year, representing a 5% reduction in the plant’s emissions. This initiative is part of our strategy for reducing the carbon footprint of our businesses.
34,900 tons less CO2 every year
The Montalieu-Vercieu plant in France’s Alpine region produces 7% of the country’s domestic cement. The Meteor project will increase to 95% the proportion of alternative fuels replacing fossil fuels; the proportion today is 70%. This calls for far-reaching changes to the manufacturing process. Every year, the project will prevent the consumption of over 30,000 metric tons of coal by replacing it with biomass-rich solid recovered fuel (SRF) from the surrounding area. This operation will result in a 34,900-ton cutback in the amount of CO2 released every year, or in other words a 5% reduction in the facility’s emissions.
7 %
of French cement
95 %
The target for replacement of fossil fuels with alternative fuels
34 900 tonnes
of CO2 emissions prevented each year
Several innovations for decarbonization at Vicat’s Montalieu-Vercieu cement plant
- In November 2020 the plant was equipped with the CO2ntainer system that uses CO2 otherwise discharged from the kiln stack to upcycle chlorinated dust into lightweight aggregate.
- The CimentAlgue industrial demonstrator project harnesses CO2 and waste heat generated by cement production to produce microalgae.
- The Hynovi project aims to capture 40% of the CO2 emitted by Vicat’s Montalieu-Vercieu plant. The carbon emitted by the plant will be recovered and combined with low-carbon hydrogen produced by Hynamics to make locally-sourced synthetic methanol.
