Recently, the UK has produced high-quality industrial lime for the first time using hydrogen technology to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the lime production process.
The aforementioned technology was implemented in a net-zero trial at the Tunster base near Buxton by major UK concrete company Tarmac, funded by the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). The project demonstrates the potential of using hydrogen to replace natural gas and to commercially produce lime as a viable fuel.
It is reported that Tunster, near Buxton, is the largest mine in Europe. At the Tunster base, Tarmac has carried out many trials of different alternative energy sources, and finally achieved 100% replacement of natural gas with hydrogen technology. In the production of lime using hydrogen technology, the combustion of the fuel does not produce carbon dioxide, only water vapor is released. Over the past five years, Tarmac has managed to reduce CO2 emissions per ton of industrial product by 24% compared to 1990 baseline levels. The company plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions per ton of product by 45% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
“This trial shows that lime production can and will be part of a future net-zero society,” said Diana Casey, director of energy and climate change at the Mineral Products Association UK, which manages the entire project. “What is needed now is investment and infrastructure development to enable This technology can be achieved on a commercial scale across the country.”
Greg Hands, the UK government’s minister for energy, clean growth and climate change, said: “Backed by £2.8 million in government funding, this project is helping industry move away from fossil fuels and cut energy bills.”
The Net Zero pilot project is funded by the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and is part of the UK Mineral Products Association’s Fuel Alternatives pilot. In the project, the UK has also demonstrated the use of hydrogen, meat and bone meal and biodiesel industrial by-products to fuel the main burners of cement kilns at its Ribblesdale plant in north-west Lancashire. In addition, at a cement plant in Tunster, the UK is also investigating the use of plasma energy to heat the calciner.
The results of the aforementioned projects will be used as practical examples to be shared with lime, cement producers and other energy-intensive industries in the UK and around the world, with the aim of promoting and maximizing the environmental benefits of related technologies.