Isramart : Carbon Trust issues low carbon innovation challenge to aggregates industry

Isramart news:
New funding announced to develop energy efficiencies and cost savings
The Carbon Trust is offering aggregates industry partners funding of up to £250,000 in a collaborative programme of research, development and demonstration that will accelerate uptake of new low carbon technologies, it was announced today. As part of its Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator (IEEA), the Carbon Trust has worked with key players in the sector to analyse the potential for new technologies and processes that will reduce energy use, save costs and cut carbon emissions. Four key innovation challenges have been identified:

* Accelerating the development of a market for lower temperature mixed asphalt that could save 80% of the energy required for traditional hot asphalt mix.
* Implementing heat recovery for preheating combustion air systems.
* Implementing advanced burner control on asphalt plant.
* Evaluating new low carbon vehicles versus conventional in-quarry vehicles.

Up to £250,000 is available to companies or consortia prepared to undertake research or development work in these specific challenge areas and help drive a step-change in the industry’s carbon reduction. Consortia could include asphalt manufacturers, burner specialists, accreditation companies, bitumen suppliers, asphalt customers, transport or vehicle companies and universities. Proposals for funding are required by 6th November 2009. Dr Mark Williamson, Director of Innovations at the Carbon Trust, said:

“Our research shows there are specific processes in the aggregates sector where we can have a huge impact on improving efficiency. The industry currently has a carbon footprint of 2.6 million tonnes of CO2 per annum accounting for about 1.7% of UK industry carbon emissions. Within this, transport alone accounts for 35% of CO2emissions in the sector and asphalt production is responsible for some 25%. “We are funding new activities to prove the business case for investing in technologies and processes that help reduce these emissions. With aggregate suppliers coming under growing pressure to meet the stringent environmental standards of local government, central government and Highway Authority clients this will have a real impact on the long-term sustainability of the industry. It is also an opportunity for companies to unlock major cost savings.” The Carbon Trust already works with a broad range of companies in the aggregates sector helping them to manage their carbon emissions. It recently launched a carbon-reduction strategy aimed at enabling the industry to cut its carbon footprint by 20% – a move expected to cut some £45million a year from the industry’s energy bills. The strategy has been welcomed by the top five companies in the sector – Tarmac, Lafarge, Cemex, Aggregate Industries and Hanson – which together account for 80% of the UK industry’s output as well as trade bodies the Minerals Planning Association and British Aggregates Association. The Carbon Trust is now embarking on an engagement programme with the 200+ other businesses in the sector to communicate the financial benefits of carbon reduction and encourage them to use the strategy to formulate their own carbon reduction plans.

Companies interested in joining the programme are invited to submit proposals for funding by 6th November 2009.

It is expected that partners will make a minimum 40% contribution to the cost of the work (subject to state aid legislation) – cash or “in-kind” – in-kind contributions have to be ‘fair and reasonable’.
For more information on joining the Energy Efficiency Accelerator please visit: www.carbontrust.co.uk/ieea-aggregates

About the UK Aggregates sector

* There are some 1,300 quarries in the UK producing £3 billion in products every year (British Aggregates Association)
* The aggregates industry currently has a carbon footprint of 2.63million metric tonnes accounting for about 1.7% of UK industry carbon emissions (Boston Consulting Group)
* There are currently 61,000 employees in the British aggregates sector (Boston Consulting Group)
* Top 5 companies account for 80% of market share. The remaining 20% is held by 200+ smaller businesses. (Boston Consulting Group)
* Total UK CO2 emissions circa 550million tonnes (Boston Consulting Group)
* The Carbon Trust has produced a film for quarry managers and staff that outlines the practical steps they can take to deliver energy and cost savings at their business. Copies of the DVD can be requested from the Aggregates Team at the Carbon Trust on 0800 085 2005 or by visitinghttp://www.carbontrust.co.uk/Publications/publicationdetail.htm?productid=CTX613

* The Carbon Trust’s aggregates industry energy efficiency strategy includes a toolkit of 30 key actions that companies can take to cut costs and carbon emissions through more energy efficient operations. It also highlights the eight priority actions that will save companies the most money and cut the most carbon. These energy savings steps include:

* Keeping stockpiles dry
* Regularly checking asphalt burners for efficient combustion
* Planning road journeys using satellite tracking
* Driving in a more energy-efficient way
* Managing loads into crushers and conveyer belts
* Ensuring compressed air systems are well maintained
* Managing the energy use through monitoring and targeting
* Getting employees involved in saving energy

About The Carbon Trust

* The Carbon Trust is an independent company set up in 2001 by Government in response to the threat of climate change, to accelerate the move to a low carbon economy by working with organisations to reduce carbon emissions and develop commercial low carbon technologies.

* We cut carbon emissions now by providing business and the public sector with expert advice, finance and certification to help them reduce their carbon footprint and to stimulate demand for low carbon products and services. Through our work, we’ve already helped save over 23 million tonnes of carbon, delivering costs savings of around £1.4 billion.

* We cut future carbon emissions by developing new low carbon technologies. We do this through project funding and management, investment and collaboration and by identifying market barriers and practical ways to overcome them. Our work on commercialising new technologies will save over 23 million tonnes of carbon a year by 2050.