Vicat gasifier at Créchy: cement plant gets cleaner all the time
A facility unique in Europe has come on line at the Vicat cement plant in Créchy: a gasifier. It reduces the proportion of fossil fuel used to produce cement. Details on the facility and its innovative process that makes our cement an increasingly clean material.
Preservation of natural resources is one of our environmental priorities. After seven years of analysis, we developed a gasifier for low-carbon cement production. It beneficiates a large number of unchipped Class B and C waste wood (interior plywood boards and panels).
The process: heated to 800°C in a reducing atmosphere, the wood is pyrolized and gasified. The gas produced is used as a source of heat for manufacturing cement. As a result, we increase the kiln fuel substitution rate from 5 to 15%. The Vicat cement plant in Créchy has achieved outstanding performance, with coal now accounting for just 20% of the energy used to fire cement.
« We managed to operate with 0% fossil fuel for a few weeks. We transform the waste of other industries into precious resources, that is to say alternative fuels that replace fossil energy sources. Vicat is a key player in energy transition.», Bruno, manager of the Vicat cement plant in Créchy
4.5M€
the amount invested, 42% of it being subsidies from France’s Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME)
80%
of thermal energy is obtained by repurposing waste.
