Petroleum revolutionised industry, not only as an energy source but it also led, for example, to the development of lubricants needed for the increasingly large and more complex machinery. Another factor was the new industries which sprang up from products manufactured from oil. From an energy standpoint, industry started switching from the energy sources then in use \u2013 which were almost exclusively renewable \u2013 to oil-derived fuels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The industrial growth and economic expansion which followed has created new challenges. Competition between peers forces companies to focus more attention on how they use resources, including energy. Industrial processes are adapted to make better use of heat and the combined production of heat and electricity \u2013 cogeneration now tends to be the rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next major leap forward occurred during the 1930s with the invention of the recovery boiler for the kraft process; this milestone – arguably the most important in the history of cellulose production – virtually closed the cooking cycle, and in addition to enabling inorganic materials to be recovered and thermal energy to be generated to fuel a major portion of the factories\u2019 needs, it also meant a very significant reduction in the environmental impact caused by the factories. G.H. Tomlinson\u2019s invention was motivated by desire to recover chemicals, but his work actually had a disruptive impact on the energy profile of pulp mills by directly improving companies\u2019 profitability and thereby encouraging the growth of the sector, leading to the widespread use of the kraft process and consigning other chemical pastes to niche markets. The cellulose industry\u2019s expansion following the Second World War, very much driven by demand from and economic growth of the west, did not pay heed to what are now considered indisputable values. Efficient use of resources, sustainability and circularity were way down the list of priorities and were only very occasionally taken into consideration. Up until the first oil shock in 1973. Exactly 50 years ago, as a result of the Yom Kippur War, a coalition of Arabic countries proclaimed an embargo on oil exports to the west, leading to prices rocketing which reverberated throughout the global economy. Rising production costs \u2013 caused directly by energy costs and indirectly by higher chemical prices \u2013 forced the cellulose industry to re-think its processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alternatives to petroleum-derived chemicals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The search was on for alternatives to petroleum-derived chemicals and those whose production is oil-dependent, and also for alternatives to fossil fuels. With regard to chemicals, there was not much to be done other than optimising their use by reducing consumption and recovering as much as possible. The search for fossil fuel alternatives, however, saw the emergence and gradual spread of renewable fuels, particularly biomass, wood waste and other forest residues. Many factories brought their coal-powered oilers back into service or adapted fuel-oil boilers to burn these \u201cnew\u201d fuels, although mostly in ways which were far from being the most efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in times of war, they had to make do. In the final decades of the 20th century, more effort went into<\/p>\n\n\n\n
developing technological solutions to ensure efficient energy production from biomass. It should be pointed out that for most of the industry, the term \u201cbiomass\u201d encompasses waste wood, sawdust and bark, as well as forest residues. This period saw great improvements in boiler performance; it became possible to burn more challenging biomass more efficiently, and there was an expansion of the range of waste products which could be used.<\/p>\n\n\n
Altri is committed to decarbonizing industrial operations, by liminating fossil fuels as a primary energy source by 2030.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Parallel development paths opened up and solutions emerged for the gasification of such fuels, to offer solutions to clients unable or unwilling to invest in new boilers, so that they too could have an alternative to fossil fuels. Nevertheless, these options were not broadly taken up and even today most pulp manufacturers choose to use biomass boilers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is a brief summary of the path that has brought us where we are today. Throughout our industry\u2019s 150-year history we have seen that energy matters can be addressed by solutions, techniques or simple business restructuring to respond to issues relating to our environmental or social impact or just to keep production costs under control to guarantee the profitability required to keep mills in operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Business profitability is an ever-present concern. Unprofitable companies wither and die. But beyond this obvious problem, today we have to deal with strict environmental and sustainability demands. We are required to put together fossil fuel replacement plans and improve our sustainability performance. The global targets are tough. All of us \u2013 citizens and companies alike \u2013 have to combat climate change. How can we contribute towards this global cause?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can what brought us here, take us further?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
These goals are certainly ambitious and will force us, in some cases, to implement solutions which aren\u2019t yet commercially available or for which there are few examples to study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The primary goal seems easy: we just have to cut consumption and increase production. We should continue to optimise operations to reduce consumption and seek out ways to increase generation. To achieve the increments as per our commitment, we are going to have to keep investing in generation for self-consumption. We have almost finished installing production units equipped with PV panels at all our factories and in the Viveiros do Furadouro tree nurseries. In total, these UPACs will account for over 15MW of the installed power and will contribute decisively towards reaching our goal, insofar as the increased amount injected into the grid will equate to the UPAC energy produced. This solution will probably be expanded, with more panels installed at our factories and elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n In terms of decarbonisation, however, the solutions are less obvious. At least for Biotek and Celbi. In order to decarbonize these two factories, we need to find renewable fuels to power the lime kilns, which represent just over 90% of the total fossil fuel consumption each. Caima does not have a lime kiln and with the new biomass plant coming on line it will no longer require natural gas. By the end of 2023 it will be the first Portuguese (and probably European) factory to be fossil fuel free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are several examples which use timber as fuel, either where the timber is gasified and then the synthesis gas burnt, or where it is directly burnt after being chipped and pulverised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These solutions are fairly commonplace in regions where wood or wood waste is abundant, such as in South America and Scandinavia. It is common knowledge that there is a lack of wood for paste in Portugal, so what wood there is has to be used for this purpose. Furthermore, these solutions require heavy investment in machinery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another solution which is somewhat common and easily applied, is to burn factory-produced methanol. This method doesn\u2019t usually raise any major difficulties and may contribute greatly towards decarbonisation. Methanol already represents around 15% of the primary energy used to fuel the kiln at Celbi, and this solution is being studied at Biotek, where methanol is not extracted. These solutions that are based on using existing local resources appear to be the easiest to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A different approach is to use lignin as fuel. The most well-known method is commercially known as Lignoboost and allows the lignin to be extracted in solid form, thereby enabling it to be sold on the chemical industry market or used as fuel. There are some known examples, but the high costs of investing in both the lignin production facility and in adapting the kiln firing systems render this solution unappealing. Another alternative that is increasingly being talked about is hydrogen burning. Hydrogen is clearly going to play a key role in decarbonising the economy. In our specific case, it can be used as furnace fuel, but with some limitations. Its flame temperature is substantially higher than that of natural gas, which means additional precautions need to be taken, both in terms of controlling the process and monitoring the effects on the kiln materials; special refractories are needed and the metallurgical properties of the metals involved have to be taken into consideration. The examples known are mainly facilities where hydrogen is available as a by-product, resulting from the on-site production of other chemicals, and these examples show that up to 30% of the kiln\u2019s needs can be met by burning hydrogen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Green hydrogen is produced by water electrolysis using renewable electricity and can be used as a fuel, as a method of storing energy or to be injected into the natural gas network, or even to produce other renewable fuels. European policies in matters of decarbonisation foster projects to produce hydrogen and inject it into the national natural gas network in quantities which will enable widespread use, meaning that all consumers of natural gas will also be consumers of green hydrogen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another green fuel which can be a substitute for natural gas is biomethane. Biomethane is simply methane gas produced from renewable sources, usually via the anaerobic digestion of agricultural (crops and livestock) waste, leftover foods or organic WWTP sludge. Waste resulting from such digestion can be used directly as an agricultural fertiliser. Caima has been using this technology since 1991 to treat part of its \u00a0effluent, producing biogas which fires its boilers. Biomethane is a direct replacement for natural gas and its use does not require any alterations to the existing facilities, hence one possible means of decarbonising our operations may be to develop biomethane production projects; implementing such projects close to the factories may create synergies where, for example, factory sludge is used as a raw material. This technology is already in place and there are thousands of facilities of this kind in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most European states currently have ambitious plans to expand biomethane production. In some countries, it accounts for a very significant percentage of the gas consumed. The solutions set out above could be part of the roadmap for the decarbonisation of our industrial operations, thereby allowing us to achieve our targets. It involves projects of varying degrees of complexity, encompassing technologies at different levels of maturity and requiring significant amounts of investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Altri\u2019s role in decarbonisation issues does not end with replacing the fossil fuels used in our factories with green fuels. We can participate more globally and contribute towards other sectors of the economy finding alternatives leading to their decarbonisation. A particularly difficult sector is transport; despite the increased percentage of electric light passenger vehicles, the electrification of aviation or large container ships is nowhere on the horizon. Renewable replacement fuels need to be found for these sectors, which can be used for fleets already in operation. <\/p>\n\n\n The solution entails producing synthetic fuels, or e-fuels. These fuels are produced using green hydrogen and green CO2, captured, for example, from smoke and fumes from a recovery boiler or biomass boiler; different chemical reactions can be used to create fuels which can be a direct replacement for jet-fuel, petrol or diesel. Projects of this kind have been announced throughout Europe, chiefly for the production of SAF \u2013 Sustainable Aviation Fuel or e-Methanol geared towards the shipping sector. Our factories are sources of green CO2 and could be anchors for projects of this nature, which are extremely complex and entail investments of hundreds of thousands of euros.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An e-methanol production facility, for example, installed next to one of our factories could generate beneficial synergies for both. As well as providing CO2, we could use the final effluent to produce hydrogen or BP steam or hot or cold water; hydrogen production generates surplus oxygen, much more than normal factory consumption, which as well as its usual applications can, for example, be used in aeration at the WWTP thereby allowing the number of used compressors to be reduced, or mixed into the boiler or kiln combustion air, leading to lower ventilator consumption. Finally, we could use part of the hydrogen or e-methane produced to supply the kiln, instead of natural gas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My aim here has been to provide a brief outline of the options available to help us in this marathon. At Altri we are committed to achieving the goals we have set, and we are aware of our role within the community. We feel it is our obligation to be part of the solution to rise to the challenges facing society. And once again we are having to reinvent ourselves. And once again the solution could be based on the energy that moves us.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"\n The first cellulose fibre factories were mostly dependent upon steam, both as a thermal energy source and to provide energy to drive machinery; wood and coal were the main sources of primary energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The gradual electrification of industry from the end of the 19th Century brought with it huge efficiency gains: the development of the electric motor allowed steam engines to be replaced and the use of fuels to therefore be reduced, and innovations to the electric generator enabled factories to generate their own electricity. Thanks to the War of the Currents <\/em>between Westinghouse and Edison, industry as a whole took a few steps forwards and the cellulose fibre industry was no exception. Generators had mostly been water-powered, but steam turbines quickly took on an increasingly important role. It was around this time that petroleum was discovered, and the first commercial oil wells began operation in the USA, ushering in a new era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Petroleum revolutionised industry, not only as an energy source but it also led, for example, to the development of lubricants needed for the increasingly large and more complex machinery. Another factor was the new industries which sprang up from products manufactured from oil. From an energy standpoint, industry started switching from the energy sources then in use \u2013 which were almost exclusively renewable \u2013 to oil-derived fuels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The industrial growth and economic expansion which followed has created new challenges. Competition between peers forces companies to focus more attention on how they use resources, including energy. Industrial processes are adapted to make better use of heat and the combined production of heat and electricity \u2013 cogeneration now tends to be the rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next major leap forward occurred during the 1930s with the invention of the recovery boiler for the kraft process; this milestone - arguably the most important in the history of cellulose production - virtually closed the cooking cycle, and in addition to enabling inorganic materials to be recovered and thermal energy to be generated to fuel a major portion of the factories\u2019 needs, it also meant a very significant reduction in the environmental impact caused by the factories. G.H. Tomlinson\u2019s invention was motivated by desire to recover chemicals, but his work actually had a disruptive impact on the energy profile of pulp mills by directly improving companies\u2019 profitability and thereby encouraging the growth of the sector, leading to the widespread use of the kraft process and consigning other chemical pastes to niche markets. The cellulose industry\u2019s expansion following the Second World War, very much driven by demand from and economic growth of the west, did not pay heed to what are now considered indisputable values. Efficient use of resources, sustainability and circularity were way down the list of priorities and were only very occasionally taken into consideration. Up until the first oil shock in 1973. Exactly 50 years ago, as a result of the Yom Kippur War, a coalition of Arabic countries proclaimed an embargo on oil exports to the west, leading to prices rocketing which reverberated throughout the global economy. Rising production costs \u2013 caused directly by energy costs and indirectly by higher chemical prices \u2013 forced the cellulose industry to re-think its processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The search was on for alternatives to petroleum-derived chemicals and those whose production is oil-dependent, and also for alternatives to fossil fuels. With regard to chemicals, there was not much to be done other than optimising their use by reducing consumption and recovering as much as possible. The search for fossil fuel alternatives, however, saw the emergence and gradual spread of renewable fuels, particularly biomass, wood waste and other forest residues. Many factories brought their coal-powered oilers back into service or adapted fuel-oil boilers to burn these \u201cnew\u201d fuels, although mostly in ways which were far from being the most efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But in times of war, they had to make do. In the final decades of the 20th century, more effort went into<\/p>\n\n\n\n developing technological solutions to ensure efficient energy production from biomass. It should be pointed out that for most of the industry, the term \u201cbiomass\u201d encompasses waste wood, sawdust and bark, as well as forest residues. This period saw great improvements in boiler performance; it became possible to burn more challenging biomass more efficiently, and there was an expansion of the range of waste products which could be used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n[card type=\"normal\"]Altri is committed to decarbonizing industrial operations, by liminating fossil fuels as a primary energy source by 2030.[\/card]\n\n\n\n Parallel development paths opened up and solutions emerged for the gasification of such fuels, to offer solutions to clients unable or unwilling to invest in new boilers, so that they too could have an alternative to fossil fuels. Nevertheless, these options were not broadly taken up and even today most pulp manufacturers choose to use biomass boilers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a brief summary of the path that has brought us where we are today. Throughout our industry\u2019s 150-year history we have seen that energy matters can be addressed by solutions, techniques or simple business restructuring to respond to issues relating to our environmental or social impact or just to keep production costs under control to guarantee the profitability required to keep mills in operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Business profitability is an ever-present concern. Unprofitable companies wither and die. But beyond this obvious problem, today we have to deal with strict environmental and sustainability demands. We are required to put together fossil fuel replacement plans and improve our sustainability performance. The global targets are tough. All of us \u2013 citizens and companies alike \u2013 have to combat climate change. How can we contribute towards this global cause?<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n These goals are certainly ambitious and will force us, in some cases, to implement solutions which aren\u2019t yet commercially available or for which there are few examples to study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The primary goal seems easy: we just have to cut consumption and increase production. We should continue to optimise operations to reduce consumption and seek out ways to increase generation. To achieve the increments as per our commitment, we are going to have to keep investing in generation for self-consumption. We have almost finished installing production units equipped with PV panels at all our factories and in the Viveiros do Furadouro tree nurseries. In total, these UPACs will account for over 15MW of the installed power and will contribute decisively towards reaching our goal, insofar as the increased amount injected into the grid will equate to the UPAC energy produced. This solution will probably be expanded, with more panels installed at our factories and elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n[image format=\"img-header-large\" id=\"6554\"]\n\n\n\n In terms of decarbonisation, however, the solutions are less obvious. At least for Biotek and Celbi. In order to decarbonize these two factories, we need to find renewable fuels to power the lime kilns, which represent just over 90% of the total fossil fuel consumption each. Caima does not have a lime kiln and with the new biomass plant coming on line it will no longer require natural gas. By the end of 2023 it will be the first Portuguese (and probably European) factory to be fossil fuel free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are several examples which use timber as fuel, either where the timber is gasified and then the synthesis gas burnt, or where it is directly burnt after being chipped and pulverised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These solutions are fairly commonplace in regions where wood or wood waste is abundant, such as in South America and Scandinavia. It is common knowledge that there is a lack of wood for paste in Portugal, so what wood there is has to be used for this purpose. Furthermore, these solutions require heavy investment in machinery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another solution which is somewhat common and easily applied, is to burn factory-produced methanol. This method doesn\u2019t usually raise any major difficulties and may contribute greatly towards decarbonisation. Methanol already represents around 15% of the primary energy used to fuel the kiln at Celbi, and this solution is being studied at Biotek, where methanol is not extracted. These solutions that are based on using existing local resources appear to be the easiest to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A different approach is to use lignin as fuel. The most well-known method is commercially known as Lignoboost and allows the lignin to be extracted in solid form, thereby enabling it to be sold on the chemical industry market or used as fuel. There are some known examples, but the high costs of investing in both the lignin production facility and in adapting the kiln firing systems render this solution unappealing. Another alternative that is increasingly being talked about is hydrogen burning. Hydrogen is clearly going to play a key role in decarbonising the economy. In our specific case, it can be used as furnace fuel, but with some limitations. Its flame temperature is substantially higher than that of natural gas, which means additional precautions need to be taken, both in terms of controlling the process and monitoring the effects on the kiln materials; special refractories are needed and the metallurgical properties of the metals involved have to be taken into consideration. The examples known are mainly facilities where hydrogen is available as a by-product, resulting from the on-site production of other chemicals, and these examples show that up to 30% of the kiln\u2019s needs can be met by burning hydrogen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Green hydrogen is produced by water electrolysis using renewable electricity and can be used as a fuel, as a method of storing energy or to be injected into the natural gas network, or even to produce other renewable fuels. European policies in matters of decarbonisation foster projects to produce hydrogen and inject it into the national natural gas network in quantities which will enable widespread use, meaning that all consumers of natural gas will also be consumers of green hydrogen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another green fuel which can be a substitute for natural gas is biomethane. Biomethane is simply methane gas produced from renewable sources, usually via the anaerobic digestion of agricultural (crops and livestock) waste, leftover foods or organic WWTP sludge. Waste resulting from such digestion can be used directly as an agricultural fertiliser. Caima has been using this technology since 1991 to treat part of its \u00a0effluent, producing biogas which fires its boilers. Biomethane is a direct replacement for natural gas and its use does not require any alterations to the existing facilities, hence one possible means of decarbonising our operations may be to develop biomethane production projects; implementing such projects close to the factories may create synergies where, for example, factory sludge is used as a raw material. This technology is already in place and there are thousands of facilities of this kind in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most European states currently have ambitious plans to expand biomethane production. In some countries, it accounts for a very significant percentage of the gas consumed. The solutions set out above could be part of the roadmap for the decarbonisation of our industrial operations, thereby allowing us to achieve our targets. It involves projects of varying degrees of complexity, encompassing technologies at different levels of maturity and requiring significant amounts of investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Altri\u2019s role in decarbonisation issues does not end with replacing the fossil fuels used in our factories with green fuels. We can participate more globally and contribute towards other sectors of the economy finding alternatives leading to their decarbonisation. A particularly difficult sector is transport; despite the increased percentage of electric light passenger vehicles, the electrification of aviation or large container ships is nowhere on the horizon. Renewable replacement fuels need to be found for these sectors, which can be used for fleets already in operation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n[image format=\"img-header-large\" id=\"6560\"]\n\n\n\n The solution entails producing synthetic fuels, or e-fuels. These fuels are produced using green hydrogen and green CO2, captured, for example, from smoke and fumes from a recovery boiler or biomass boiler; different chemical reactions can be used to create fuels which can be a direct replacement for jet-fuel, petrol or diesel. Projects of this kind have been announced throughout Europe, chiefly for the production of SAF \u2013 Sustainable Aviation Fuel or e-Methanol geared towards the shipping sector. Our factories are sources of green CO2 and could be anchors for projects of this nature, which are extremely complex and entail investments of hundreds of thousands of euros.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An e-methanol production facility, for example, installed next to one of our factories could generate beneficial synergies for both. As well as providing CO2, we could use the final effluent to produce hydrogen or BP steam or hot or cold water; hydrogen production generates surplus oxygen, much more than normal factory consumption, which as well as its usual applications can, for example, be used in aeration at the WWTP thereby allowing the number of used compressors to be reduced, or mixed into the boiler or kiln combustion air, leading to lower ventilator consumption. Finally, we could use part of the hydrogen or e-methane produced to supply the kiln, instead of natural gas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My aim here has been to provide a brief outline of the options available to help us in this marathon. At Altri we are committed to achieving the goals we have set, and we are aware of our role within the community. We feel it is our obligation to be part of the solution to rise to the challenges facing society. And once again we are having to reinvent ourselves. And once again the solution could be based on the energy that moves us.<\/p>\n"},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Our industry has, throughout the decades, been faced with challenges which force companies to reinvent themselves. The evolution of the sector and its ability to remain profitable have been determined by how we use energy. This has been the key to its success. Now we are being called upon to deal with global challenges whose impacts reach beyond our sector. What role might we play? And how does this relate to the energy that moves us?<\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"Our industry has, throughout the decades, been faced with challenges which force companies to reinvent themselves. The evolution of the sector and its ability to remain profitable have been determined by how we use energy. This has been the key to its success. Now we are being called upon to deal with global challenges whose impacts reach beyond our sector. What role might we play? And how does this relate to the energy that moves us?"},"author":32,"featured_media":6557,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_pt_post_content":"\n As primeiras f\u00e1bricas de fibras de celulose dependiam principalmente do vapor, quer enquanto fonte de energia t\u00e9rmica quer para fornecer energia motriz \u00e0s m\u00e1quinas; a madeira e o carv\u00e3o eram as principais fontes de energia prim\u00e1ria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A progressiva eletrifica\u00e7\u00e3o da ind\u00fastria a partir do final do s\u00e9culo XIX veio trazer enormes ganhos de efici\u00eancia: o desenvolvimento do motor el\u00e9trico permitiu a substitui\u00e7\u00e3o dos engenhos a vapor e por essa via a diminui\u00e7\u00e3o do uso de combust\u00edveis e as inova\u00e7\u00f5es introduzidas no gerador el\u00e9trico deram origem a m\u00e1quinas que permitiram \u00e0s f\u00e1bricas gerar a sua pr\u00f3pria energia el\u00e9trica. Gra\u00e7as \u00e0 Guerra das Correntes, travada entre Westinghouse e Edison toda a ind\u00fastria evoluiu e a nossa n\u00e3o foi exce\u00e7\u00e3o. O acionamento dos geradores era principalmente h\u00eddrico, mas muito rapidamente as turbinas a vapor foram assumindo um papel cada vez mais importante. Mais ou menos por esta altura descobriu-se o petr\u00f3leo e entram em explora\u00e7\u00e3o, nos EUA, os primeiros po\u00e7os comerciais, dando in\u00edcio a uma nova era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n O petr\u00f3leo revolucionou a ind\u00fastria, n\u00e3o s\u00f3 enquanto fonte de energia, mas tamb\u00e9m, por exemplo, porque permitiu o desenvolvimento dos lubrificantes exigidos por maquinaria cada vez maior e mais complexa, ou porque novas ind\u00fastrias nasceram para trabalhar produtos seus derivados. No plano energ\u00e9tico assistiu-se a um movimento de substitui\u00e7\u00e3o das fontes de energia at\u00e9 ent\u00e3o usadas, quase exclusivamente renov\u00e1veis, pelos combust\u00edveis derivados do petr\u00f3leo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n O crescimento da ind\u00fastria e a expans\u00e3o da economia que se seguiu trouxe novos desafios. A concorr\u00eancia entre pares obriga as empresas a dar mais aten\u00e7\u00e3o \u00e0 forma como se usam os recursos e a energia n\u00e3o \u00e9 exce\u00e7\u00e3o. Os processos industriais ajustam-se de forma a melhorar o aproveitamento do calor e a produ\u00e7\u00e3o combinada de calor e eletricidade \u2013 a cogera\u00e7\u00e3o, tende a ser regra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n O pr\u00f3ximo grande salto d\u00e1-se por volta da d\u00e9cada de 1930 com a inven\u00e7\u00e3o da caldeira de recupera\u00e7\u00e3o para o processo kraft; este marco, talvez o mais importante da hist\u00f3ria da ind\u00fastria da celulose, fechou virtualmente o ciclo de cozimento, e, para al\u00e9m de permitir recuperar os qu\u00edmicos inorg\u00e2nicos e gerar energia t\u00e9rmica para alimentar boa parte das necessidades das f\u00e1bricas, permite ainda a redu\u00e7\u00e3o muito significativa do impacto ambiental das f\u00e1bricas. A motiva\u00e7\u00e3o de G. H. Tomlinson era a recupera\u00e7\u00e3o dos qu\u00edmicos, mas a verdade \u00e9 que o impacto do seu trabalho no perfil energ\u00e9tico das f\u00e1bricas foi disruptivo, com efeitos diretos na rentabilidade das empresas, promovendo o crescimento do setor e levando \u00e0 generaliza\u00e7\u00e3o do processo kraft, remetendo as outras pastas qu\u00edmicas para mercados de nicho.<\/p>\n\n\n\n O per\u00edodo de crescimento da ind\u00fastria da celulose que se seguiu \u00e0 II Guerra Mundial, muito impulsionado pela procura e pelo crescimento da economia ocidental, acontece sem grande preocupa\u00e7\u00e3o com aqueles que s\u00e3o hoje princ\u00edpios e valores inquestion\u00e1veis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n O uso eficiente de recursos, a sustentabilidade e a circularidade eram dimens\u00f5es secund\u00e1rias do neg\u00f3cio e s\u00f3 muito pontualmente eram tidos em considera\u00e7\u00e3o. At\u00e9 ao primeiro choque petrol\u00edfero, em 1973. O agravamento dos custos de produ\u00e7\u00e3o, diretamente por via dos pre\u00e7os dos produtos energ\u00e9ticos e indiretamente por via da escalada dos pre\u00e7os dos qu\u00edmicos usados, obriga a ind\u00fastria da celulose a repensar os seus processos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Por um lado, procuram-se alternativas aos qu\u00edmicos derivados do petr\u00f3leo ou cuja produ\u00e7\u00e3o dele dependa e por outro procuram-se alternativas aos combust\u00edveis f\u00f3sseis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Se em rela\u00e7\u00e3o aos qu\u00edmicos pouco mais se pode fazer que otimizar a sua utiliza\u00e7\u00e3o, reduzindo o consumo e aumentando ao limite do poss\u00edvel a sua recupera\u00e7\u00e3o, no que respeita \u00e0 procura de alternativas aos combust\u00edveis f\u00f3sseis assistimos \u00e0 entrada dos combust\u00edveis renov\u00e1veis, que gradualmente conquistam o seu espa\u00e7o, com destaque para a biomassa, desperd\u00edcios de madeira e outros res\u00edduos florestais. Muitas f\u00e1bricas ressuscitaram velhas caldeiras a carv\u00e3o ou adaptaram caldeiras a fuel \u00f3leo para a queima destes \u201cnovos\u201d combust\u00edveis, na maior parte dos casos de formas que estavam longe de ser as mais eficientes. Mas era o poss\u00edvel e em tempo de guerra n\u00e3o se limpam as armas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nas \u00faltimas d\u00e9cadas do s\u00e9culo XX h\u00e1 uma clara aposta no desenvolvimento de solu\u00e7\u00f5es tecnol\u00f3gicas para a eficiente valoriza\u00e7\u00e3o energ\u00e9tica da biomassa. Conv\u00e9m ter em considera\u00e7\u00e3o que para a generalidade da ind\u00fastria, o termo \u201cbiomassa\u201d engloba os restos de madeira, serrim e casca, al\u00e9m dos res\u00edduos florestais. Durante este per\u00edodo h\u00e1 claras melhorias na performance das caldeiras; passa a ser poss\u00edvel queimar de forma eficiente as biomassas mais dif\u00edceis e alarga-se alargando o leque dos res\u00edduos pass\u00edveis de valoriza\u00e7\u00e3o. Abrem-se linhas paralelas de desenvolvimento e surgem solu\u00e7\u00f5es para a gasifica\u00e7\u00e3o daqueles combust\u00edveis, procurando oferecer solu\u00e7\u00f5es aos clientes que n\u00e3o podiam ou n\u00e3o queriam apostar em novas caldeiras e que desta forma passavam a ter tamb\u00e9m uma alternativa aos combust\u00edveis f\u00f3sseis. No entanto, a verdade \u00e9 que estas solu\u00e7\u00f5es se mantiveram uma minoria e a op\u00e7\u00e3o recai ainda hoje, maioritariamente na utiliza\u00e7\u00e3o de caldeiras de biomassa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n[card type=\"normal\"]A Altri assumiu o compromisso de descarbonizar as opera\u00e7\u00f5es industriais, eliminando os combust\u00edveis f\u00f3sseis como fonte de energia prim\u00e1ria at\u00e9 2030.[\/card]\n\n\n\n Este foi um pouco do caminho que nos trouxe at\u00e9 ao presente. Ao longo dos cerca de 150 anos da nossa ind\u00fastria vimos que na \u00e1rea da energia se encontraram solu\u00e7\u00f5es, t\u00e9cnicas ou de simples reorganiza\u00e7\u00e3o do neg\u00f3cio, que permitiram responder a quest\u00f5es relacionadas com o nosso impacto ambiental ou social ou simplesmente manter os custos de produ\u00e7\u00e3o controlados de modo a assegurar os n\u00edveis de rentabilidade necess\u00e1rios para manter as f\u00e1bricas a funcionar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A rentabilidade do neg\u00f3cio \u00e9 uma quest\u00e3o sempre presente. Se n\u00e3o forem rent\u00e1veis as empresas definham e desaparecem. Mas, para l\u00e1 desta quest\u00e3o \u00f3bvia, hoje somos confrontados com apertadas exig\u00eancias em mat\u00e9ria de ambiente e de sustentabilidade. S\u00e3o-nos exigidos planos de substitui\u00e7\u00e3o dos combust\u00edveis f\u00f3sseis e de melhoria da nossa performance no dom\u00ednio da sustentabilidade. As metas s\u00e3o apertadas e s\u00e3o globais. Todos, cidad\u00e3os e empresas, somos chamados para o combate \u00e0s altera\u00e7\u00f5es clim\u00e1ticas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A Altri assumiu o compromisso de eliminar os combust\u00edveis f\u00f3sseis como fonte de energia prim\u00e1ria at\u00e9 2030. Como vamos l\u00e1 chegar? Como podemos afinal contribuir para esta causa global? Estas s\u00e3o, sem d\u00favida, metas ambiciosas, que nos obrigar\u00e3o, em alguns casos, a recorrer a solu\u00e7\u00f5es que ainda n\u00e3o est\u00e3o comercialmente dispon\u00edveis ou para as quais h\u00e1 muito poucas refer\u00eancias em explora\u00e7\u00e3o.<\/p>\n\n\n\n O primeiro objetivo parece f\u00e1cil: basta reduzir o consumo e aumentar a produ\u00e7\u00e3o. Devemos continuar a otimizar as opera\u00e7\u00f5es para reduzir os consumos e encontrar formas de aumentar a gera\u00e7\u00e3o. Para conseguir os incrementos com que nos comprometemos vamos ter de continuar a apostar na gera\u00e7\u00e3o para autoconsumo. Estamos a concluir a instala\u00e7\u00e3o de unidades de produ\u00e7\u00e3o com pain\u00e9is fotovoltaicos em todas as f\u00e1bricas, nos viveiros e na Quinta do Furadouro. No total estas UPACs somam mais de 15MW de pot\u00eancia instalada e contribuir\u00e3o de forma decisiva para que se alcance aquele objetivo, na medida que o aumento da inje\u00e7\u00e3o na rede ser\u00e1 equivalente \u00e0 energia nelas produzida. Esta \u00e9 uma solu\u00e7\u00e3o que provavelmente ser\u00e1 expandida, com instala\u00e7\u00e3o de mais pain\u00e9is nas f\u00e1bricas ou mesmo fora delas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n[image format=\"img-header-large\" id=\"6554\"]\n\n\n\n No que respeita \u00e0 descarboniza\u00e7\u00e3o, as solu\u00e7\u00f5es s\u00e3o menos \u00f3bvias. Pelo menos para a Biotek e para a Celbi. Para descarbonizar estas duas f\u00e1bricas temos de encontrar combust\u00edveis renov\u00e1veis para alimentar os fornos de cal, que representam pouco mais de 90% do consumo total de combust\u00edveis f\u00f3sseis em cada uma. A Caima n\u00e3o tem forno de cal e com o arranque da nova central a biomassa deixa de necessitar de g\u00e1s natural e ser\u00e1, at\u00e9 ao final de 2023, a primeira f\u00e1brica portuguesa (e provavelmente da Europa) livre de combust\u00edveis f\u00f3sseis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Para substituir os combust\u00edveis atualmente usados nos fornos, s\u00e3o apontadas v\u00e1rias op\u00e7\u00f5es. S\u00e3o conhecidas v\u00e1rias refer\u00eancias que recorrem \u00e0 madeira como combust\u00edvel, atrav\u00e9s da sua gasifica\u00e7\u00e3o e posterior queima do g\u00e1s de s\u00edntese ou com base na queima direta da madeira mo\u00edda e pulverizada. S\u00e3o solu\u00e7\u00f5es mais ou menos comuns nas regi\u00f5es onde a madeira ou restos de madeira s\u00e3o abundantes, como a Am\u00e9rica do Sul ou na Escandin\u00e1via. Todos sabemos que em Portugal h\u00e1 escassez de madeira para pasta, pelo que \u00e9 impens\u00e1vel us\u00e1-la para este fim. Al\u00e9m disso estas solu\u00e7\u00f5es exigem investimentos avultados em equipamentos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Uma solu\u00e7\u00e3o mais ou menos comum, de aplica\u00e7\u00e3o f\u00e1cil, \u00e9 a queima do metanol produzido na f\u00e1brica. Esta pr\u00e1tica n\u00e3o coloca grandes dificuldades e pode dar um contributo relevante para a descarboniza\u00e7\u00e3o. Na Celbi o metanol j\u00e1 representa cerca de 15% da energia prim\u00e1ria alimentada ao forno e na Biotek, em cuja instala\u00e7\u00e3o n\u00e3o se extrai o metanol, esta solu\u00e7\u00e3o est\u00e1 a ser estudada. Estas solu\u00e7\u00f5es, baseadas na valoriza\u00e7\u00e3o de recursos locais j\u00e1 existentes, parecem ser as de mais f\u00e1cil implementa\u00e7\u00e3o.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Num plano diferente surge a valoriza\u00e7\u00e3o da lenhina como combust\u00edvel. A solu\u00e7\u00e3o mais conhecida tem o nome comercial de Lignoboost e permite a sua extra\u00e7\u00e3o para uma forma s\u00f3lida, permitindo a sua coloca\u00e7\u00e3o no mercado da ind\u00fastria qu\u00edmica ou a sua utiliza\u00e7\u00e3o como combust\u00edvel. H\u00e1 algumas refer\u00eancias conhecidas, mas os elevados volumes de investimento, quer na instala\u00e7\u00e3o de produ\u00e7\u00e3o da lenhina quer na adapta\u00e7\u00e3o dos sistemas de queima do forno, tornam esta solu\u00e7\u00e3o pouco interessante.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Outra alternativa \u00e9 a da queima de hidrog\u00e9nio no forno. O hidrog\u00e9nio ser\u00e1, sem d\u00favida, uma pe\u00e7a chave para a descarboniza\u00e7\u00e3o da economia. No nosso caso em concreto, a sua utiliza\u00e7\u00e3o como combust\u00edvel nos fornos \u00e9 poss\u00edvel, mas tem algumas limita\u00e7\u00f5es. A sua temperatura de chama \u00e9 substancialmente mais elevada do que a do g\u00e1s natural, obrigando a cautelas adicionais, quer no controlo do processo quer no acompanhamento dos efeitos sobre os materiais do forno; s\u00e3o necess\u00e1rios refrat\u00e1rios especiais e \u00e9 necess\u00e1rio ter em considera\u00e7\u00e3o as caracter\u00edsticas metal\u00fargicas dos metais envolvidos. As refer\u00eancias que se conhecem s\u00e3o principalmente de instala\u00e7\u00f5es onde o hidrog\u00e9nio est\u00e1 dispon\u00edvel como subproduto, resultante da produ\u00e7\u00e3o de outros qu\u00edmicos no site, e apontam para que se possa queimar hidrog\u00e9nio at\u00e9 cerca de 30% das necessidades do forno.<\/p>\n\n\n\n O hidrog\u00e9nio verde \u00e9 produzido por eletr\u00f3lise da \u00e1gua usando eletricidade renov\u00e1vel e pode ser usado como combust\u00edvel, como forma de acumula\u00e7\u00e3o de energia ou para inje\u00e7\u00e3o na rede de g\u00e1s natural ou, ainda, para produzir outros combust\u00edveis renov\u00e1veis. de g\u00e1s natural sejam tamb\u00e9m consumidores de hidrog\u00e9nio verde. Um outro combust\u00edvel verde que pode substituir o g\u00e1s natural \u00e9 o biometano. O biometano n\u00e3o \u00e9 nada mais do que g\u00e1s metano produzido a partir de fontes renov\u00e1veis, geralmente por digest\u00e3o anaer\u00f3bia de res\u00edduos de origem agropecu\u00e1ria, restos de alimentos ou lamas org\u00e2nicas das ETAR. Os res\u00edduos resultantes da digest\u00e3o podem ser usados diretamente como fertilizante na agricultura. A Caima recorre a esta tecnologia desde 1991 para tratar uma parte do seu efluente, produzindo biog\u00e1s que \u00e9 queimado nas caldeiras. O biometano \u00e9 um substituto direto do g\u00e1s natural e a sua utiliza\u00e7\u00e3o n\u00e3o exige qualquer altera\u00e7\u00e3o das instala\u00e7\u00f5es. Por esta raz\u00e3o, uma possibilidade para a descarboniza\u00e7\u00e3o das nossas opera\u00e7\u00f5es pode passar pelo desenvolvimento de projetos de produ\u00e7\u00e3o de biometano; estes projetos, se forem desenvolvidos pr\u00f3ximo das f\u00e1bricas podem gerar sinergias e, por exemplo, usar as lamas das f\u00e1bricas como mat\u00e9ria-prima. Esta tecnologia est\u00e1 perfeitamente implantada e existem milhares de instala\u00e7\u00f5es desta natureza na Europa. A generalidade dos estados europeus tem hoje ambiciosos planos de expans\u00e3o da produ\u00e7\u00e3o de biometano, que em alguns pa\u00edses representa j\u00e1 hoje uma percentagem muito relevante do g\u00e1s consumido.<\/p>\n\n\n\n[image format=\"img-header-large\" id=\"6560\"]\n\n\n\n As solu\u00e7\u00f5es at\u00e9 aqui mencionadas podem ser parte do roteiro para a descarboniza\u00e7\u00e3o das nossas opera\u00e7\u00f5es industriais, permitindo atingir as nossas metas. Tratam-se de projetos com diferentes graus de complexidade, envolvendo tecnologias com diferentes n\u00edveis de maturidade e exigindo n\u00edveis de investimento significativos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n O papel da Altri em mat\u00e9ria de descarboniza\u00e7\u00e3o n\u00e3o se esgota na substitui\u00e7\u00e3o dos combust\u00edveis f\u00f3sseis usados nas nossas f\u00e1bricas por combust\u00edveis verdes. Podemos assumir uma participa\u00e7\u00e3o mais global e contribuir para que outros setores da economia encontrem alternativas para a sua descarboniza\u00e7\u00e3o. Um setor particularmente dif\u00edcil \u00e9 o dos transportes; apesar do crescimento da percentagem de ve\u00edculos ligeiros de passageiros el\u00e9tricos, ainda n\u00e3o se vislumbra para breve a eletrifica\u00e7\u00e3o da avia\u00e7\u00e3o ou dos grandes navios porta-contentores. Para estes setores \u00e9 preciso encontrar combust\u00edveis de substitui\u00e7\u00e3o, renov\u00e1veis, que possam ser usados pelas frotas j\u00e1 em servi\u00e7o. A solu\u00e7\u00e3o passa pela produ\u00e7\u00e3o de combust\u00edveis sint\u00e9ticos, os e-fuels. Estes combust\u00edveis s\u00e3o produzidos usando hidrog\u00e9nio verde e CO2 verde, captado por exemplo dos gases de fumos da caldeira de recupera\u00e7\u00e3o ou de uma caldeira de biomassa; atrav\u00e9s de diferentes rea\u00e7\u00f5es qu\u00edmicas \u00e9 poss\u00edvel obter combust\u00edveis que podem substituir diretamente o jet-fuel, a gasolina ou o gas\u00f3leo. Um pouco por toda a Europa t\u00eam sido anunciados projetos deste tipo, maioritariamente para a produ\u00e7\u00e3o de SAF \u2013 Sustainable Aviation Fuel ou e-Metanol destinado ao setor do transporte mar\u00edtimo. As nossas f\u00e1bricas s\u00e3o fontes de CO2 verde e podem ser \u00e2ncoras para projetos desta natureza, com elevado grau de complexidade e envolvendo investimentos da ordem das centenas de milh\u00f5es de euros. Uma instala\u00e7\u00e3o para a produ\u00e7\u00e3o de e-Metanol, por exemplo, instalada junto a uma das nossas f\u00e1bricas pode gerar sinergias vantajosas para ambos. Al\u00e9m de fornecer o CO2, podemos usar o efluente final para a produ\u00e7\u00e3o de hidrog\u00e9nio ou fornecer energia t\u00e9rmica sob a forma de vapor ou \u00e1gua, fria ou quente; a produ\u00e7\u00e3o de hidrog\u00e9nio gera um excedente de oxig\u00e9nio, muito superior aos consumos normais das f\u00e1bricas, que para al\u00e9m das aplica\u00e7\u00f5es habituais, pode por exemplo ser usado no arejamento na ETAR permitindo reduzir o n\u00famero de compressores utilizados, ou misturado no ar de combust\u00e3o das caldeiras ou do forno permitindo reduzir o consumo dos ventiladores. Finalmente, podemos usar parte do hidrog\u00e9nio ou do e-Metano produzido para alimentar ao forno, como substituto do g\u00e1s natural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Procurei neste texto dar uma imagem resumida das op\u00e7\u00f5es que temos ao nosso dispor para esta maratona. A Altri est\u00e1 comprometida com o atingimento das metas a que se prop\u00f4s e estamos conscientes do nosso papel na comunidade. Sentimo-nos na obriga\u00e7\u00e3o de ser parte da solu\u00e7\u00e3o para os desafios com que a nossa sociedade se depara. E mais uma vez temos de nos reinventar. E de novo a solu\u00e7\u00e3o pode apoiar-se na energia que nos move.<\/p>\n","_pt_post_name":"a-energia-que-nos-move","_pt_post_excerpt":"Ao longo de d\u00e9cadas a nossa ind\u00fastria tem sido confrontada com desafios que obrigam as empresas a reinventar-se. A evolu\u00e7\u00e3o do setor e a sua capacidade para se manter rent\u00e1vel tem sido determinada pela forma como usamos a energia. Tem sido esta a chave do sucesso. Hoje somos convocados a lidar com desafios globais, que impactam para l\u00e1 do nosso setor. Qual pode ser o nosso papel? E como \u00e9 que isto se relaciona com a energia que nos move?","_pt_post_title":"A energia que nos move","_en_post_content":"\n The first cellulose fibre factories were mostly dependent upon steam, both as a thermal energy source and to provide energy to drive machinery; wood and coal were the main sources of primary energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The gradual electrification of industry from the end of the 19th Century brought with it huge efficiency gains: the development of the electric motor allowed steam engines to be replaced and the use of fuels to therefore be reduced, and innovations to the electric generator enabled factories to generate their own electricity. Thanks to the War of the Currents <\/em>between Westinghouse and Edison, industry as a whole took a few steps forwards and the cellulose fibre industry was no exception. Generators had mostly been water-powered, but steam turbines quickly took on an increasingly important role. It was around this time that petroleum was discovered, and the first commercial oil wells began operation in the USA, ushering in a new era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Petroleum revolutionised industry, not only as an energy source but it also led, for example, to the development of lubricants needed for the increasingly large and more complex machinery. Another factor was the new industries which sprang up from products manufactured from oil. From an energy standpoint, industry started switching from the energy sources then in use \u2013 which were almost exclusively renewable \u2013 to oil-derived fuels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The industrial growth and economic expansion which followed has created new challenges. Competition between peers forces companies to focus more attention on how they use resources, including energy. Industrial processes are adapted to make better use of heat and the combined production of heat and electricity \u2013 cogeneration now tends to be the rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next major leap forward occurred during the 1930s with the invention of the recovery boiler for the kraft process; this milestone - arguably the most important in the history of cellulose production - virtually closed the cooking cycle, and in addition to enabling inorganic materials to be recovered and thermal energy to be generated to fuel a major portion of the factories\u2019 needs, it also meant a very significant reduction in the environmental impact caused by the factories. G.H. Tomlinson\u2019s invention was motivated by desire to recover chemicals, but his work actually had a disruptive impact on the energy profile of pulp mills by directly improving companies\u2019 profitability and thereby encouraging the growth of the sector, leading to the widespread use of the kraft process and consigning other chemical pastes to niche markets. The cellulose industry\u2019s expansion following the Second World War, very much driven by demand from and economic growth of the west, did not pay heed to what are now considered indisputable values. Efficient use of resources, sustainability and circularity were way down the list of priorities and were only very occasionally taken into consideration. Up until the first oil shock in 1973. Exactly 50 years ago, as a result of the Yom Kippur War, a coalition of Arabic countries proclaimed an embargo on oil exports to the west, leading to prices rocketing which reverberated throughout the global economy. Rising production costs \u2013 caused directly by energy costs and indirectly by higher chemical prices \u2013 forced the cellulose industry to re-think its processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The search was on for alternatives to petroleum-derived chemicals and those whose production is oil-dependent, and also for alternatives to fossil fuels. With regard to chemicals, there was not much to be done other than optimising their use by reducing consumption and recovering as much as possible. The search for fossil fuel alternatives, however, saw the emergence and gradual spread of renewable fuels, particularly biomass, wood waste and other forest residues. Many factories brought their coal-powered oilers back into service or adapted fuel-oil boilers to burn these \u201cnew\u201d fuels, although mostly in ways which were far from being the most efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But in times of war, they had to make do. In the final decades of the 20th century, more effort went into<\/p>\n\n\n\n developing technological solutions to ensure efficient energy production from biomass. It should be pointed out that for most of the industry, the term \u201cbiomass\u201d encompasses waste wood, sawdust and bark, as well as forest residues. This period saw great improvements in boiler performance; it became possible to burn more challenging biomass more efficiently, and there was an expansion of the range of waste products which could be used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n[card type=\"normal\"]Altri is committed to decarbonizing industrial operations, by liminating fossil fuels as a primary energy source by 2030.[\/card]\n\n\n\n Parallel development paths opened up and solutions emerged for the gasification of such fuels, to offer solutions to clients unable or unwilling to invest in new boilers, so that they too could have an alternative to fossil fuels. Nevertheless, these options were not broadly taken up and even today most pulp manufacturers choose to use biomass boilers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a brief summary of the path that has brought us where we are today. Throughout our industry\u2019s 150-year history we have seen that energy matters can be addressed by solutions, techniques or simple business restructuring to respond to issues relating to our environmental or social impact or just to keep production costs under control to guarantee the profitability required to keep mills in operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Business profitability is an ever-present concern. Unprofitable companies wither and die. But beyond this obvious problem, today we have to deal with strict environmental and sustainability demands. We are required to put together fossil fuel replacement plans and improve our sustainability performance. The global targets are tough. All of us \u2013 citizens and companies alike \u2013 have to combat climate change. How can we contribute towards this global cause?<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n These goals are certainly ambitious and will force us, in some cases, to implement solutions which aren\u2019t yet commercially available or for which there are few examples to study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The primary goal seems easy: we just have to cut consumption and increase production. We should continue to optimise operations to reduce consumption and seek out ways to increase generation. To achieve the increments as per our commitment, we are going to have to keep investing in generation for self-consumption. We have almost finished installing production units equipped with PV panels at all our factories and in the Viveiros do Furadouro tree nurseries. In total, these UPACs will account for over 15MW of the installed power and will contribute decisively towards reaching our goal, insofar as the increased amount injected into the grid will equate to the UPAC energy produced. This solution will probably be expanded, with more panels installed at our factories and elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n[image format=\"img-header-large\" id=\"6554\"]\n\n\n\n In terms of decarbonisation, however, the solutions are less obvious. At least for Biotek and Celbi. In order to decarbonize these two factories, we need to find renewable fuels to power the lime kilns, which represent just over 90% of the total fossil fuel consumption each. Caima does not have a lime kiln and with the new biomass plant coming on line it will no longer require natural gas. By the end of 2023 it will be the first Portuguese (and probably European) factory to be fossil fuel free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are several examples which use timber as fuel, either where the timber is gasified and then the synthesis gas burnt, or where it is directly burnt after being chipped and pulverised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These solutions are fairly commonplace in regions where wood or wood waste is abundant, such as in South America and Scandinavia. It is common knowledge that there is a lack of wood for paste in Portugal, so what wood there is has to be used for this purpose. Furthermore, these solutions require heavy investment in machinery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another solution which is somewhat common and easily applied, is to burn factory-produced methanol. This method doesn\u2019t usually raise any major difficulties and may contribute greatly towards decarbonisation. Methanol already represents around 15% of the primary energy used to fuel the kiln at Celbi, and this solution is being studied at Biotek, where methanol is not extracted. These solutions that are based on using existing local resources appear to be the easiest to implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A different approach is to use lignin as fuel. The most well-known method is commercially known as Lignoboost and allows the lignin to be extracted in solid form, thereby enabling it to be sold on the chemical industry market or used as fuel. There are some known examples, but the high costs of investing in both the lignin production facility and in adapting the kiln firing systems render this solution unappealing. Another alternative that is increasingly being talked about is hydrogen burning. Hydrogen is clearly going to play a key role in decarbonising the economy. In our specific case, it can be used as furnace fuel, but with some limitations. Its flame temperature is substantially higher than that of natural gas, which means additional precautions need to be taken, both in terms of controlling the process and monitoring the effects on the kiln materials; special refractories are needed and the metallurgical properties of the metals involved have to be taken into consideration. The examples known are mainly facilities where hydrogen is available as a by-product, resulting from the on-site production of other chemicals, and these examples show that up to 30% of the kiln\u2019s needs can be met by burning hydrogen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Green hydrogen is produced by water electrolysis using renewable electricity and can be used as a fuel, as a method of storing energy or to be injected into the natural gas network, or even to produce other renewable fuels. European policies in matters of decarbonisation foster projects to produce hydrogen and inject it into the national natural gas network in quantities which will enable widespread use, meaning that all consumers of natural gas will also be consumers of green hydrogen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another green fuel which can be a substitute for natural gas is biomethane. Biomethane is simply methane gas produced from renewable sources, usually via the anaerobic digestion of agricultural (crops and livestock) waste, leftover foods or organic WWTP sludge. Waste resulting from such digestion can be used directly as an agricultural fertiliser. Caima has been using this technology since 1991 to treat part of its \u00a0effluent, producing biogas which fires its boilers. Biomethane is a direct replacement for natural gas and its use does not require any alterations to the existing facilities, hence one possible means of decarbonising our operations may be to develop biomethane production projects; implementing such projects close to the factories may create synergies where, for example, factory sludge is used as a raw material. This technology is already in place and there are thousands of facilities of this kind in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most European states currently have ambitious plans to expand biomethane production. In some countries, it accounts for a very significant percentage of the gas consumed. The solutions set out above could be part of the roadmap for the decarbonisation of our industrial operations, thereby allowing us to achieve our targets. It involves projects of varying degrees of complexity, encompassing technologies at different levels of maturity and requiring significant amounts of investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Altri\u2019s role in decarbonisation issues does not end with replacing the fossil fuels used in our factories with green fuels. We can participate more globally and contribute towards other sectors of the economy finding alternatives leading to their decarbonisation. A particularly difficult sector is transport; despite the increased percentage of electric light passenger vehicles, the electrification of aviation or large container ships is nowhere on the horizon. Renewable replacement fuels need to be found for these sectors, which can be used for fleets already in operation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n[image format=\"img-header-large\" id=\"6560\"]\n\n\n\n The solution entails producing synthetic fuels, or e-fuels. These fuels are produced using green hydrogen and green CO2, captured, for example, from smoke and fumes from a recovery boiler or biomass boiler; different chemical reactions can be used to create fuels which can be a direct replacement for jet-fuel, petrol or diesel. Projects of this kind have been announced throughout Europe, chiefly for the production of SAF \u2013 Sustainable Aviation Fuel or e-Methanol geared towards the shipping sector. Our factories are sources of green CO2 and could be anchors for projects of this nature, which are extremely complex and entail investments of hundreds of thousands of euros.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An e-methanol production facility, for example, installed next to one of our factories could generate beneficial synergies for both. As well as providing CO2, we could use the final effluent to produce hydrogen or BP steam or hot or cold water; hydrogen production generates surplus oxygen, much more than normal factory consumption, which as well as its usual applications can, for example, be used in aeration at the WWTP thereby allowing the number of used compressors to be reduced, or mixed into the boiler or kiln combustion air, leading to lower ventilator consumption. Finally, we could use part of the hydrogen or e-methane produced to supply the kiln, instead of natural gas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My aim here has been to provide a brief outline of the options available to help us in this marathon. At Altri we are committed to achieving the goals we have set, and we are aware of our role within the community. We feel it is our obligation to be part of the solution to rise to the challenges facing society. And once again we are having to reinvent ourselves. And once again the solution could be based on the energy that moves us.<\/p>\n","_en_post_name":"","_en_post_excerpt":"Our industry has, throughout the decades, been faced with challenges which force companies to reinvent themselves. The evolution of the sector and its ability to remain profitable have been determined by how we use energy. This has been the key to its success. Now we are being called upon to deal with global challenges whose impacts reach beyond our sector. What role might we play? And how does this relate to the energy that moves us?","_en_post_title":"The energy that move us","edit_language":"en","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[15,623,626],"class_list":["post-6551","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entrevista","tag-altri","tag-edicao-10","tag-entrevista"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/conteudos.xl.pt\/altri-news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6551","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/conteudos.xl.pt\/altri-news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/conteudos.xl.pt\/altri-news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conteudos.xl.pt\/altri-news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conteudos.xl.pt\/altri-news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6551"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/conteudos.xl.pt\/altri-news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6551\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7087,"href":"https:\/\/conteudos.xl.pt\/altri-news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6551\/revisions\/7087"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conteudos.xl.pt\/altri-news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6557"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/conteudos.xl.pt\/altri-news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6551"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conteudos.xl.pt\/altri-news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6551"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conteudos.xl.pt\/altri-news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6551"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"1922](\"https:\/\/cdn.xl.pt\/conteudos\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/02\/Pag-9-Maquinaria-1922-1920x1200.jpg\")
Several options are available to replace the fossil fuels we currently use in our mills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Photovoltaic](\"https:\/\/cdn.xl.pt\/conteudos\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/02\/DJI_0063-1920x1152.jpg\")
Alternatives to petroleum-derived chemicals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Can what brought us here, take us further?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Several options are available to replace the fossil fuels we currently use in our mills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Alternativas aos qu\u00edmicos derivados do petr\u00f3leo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Ser\u00e1 que o que nos trouxe at\u00e9 aqui nos pode levar mais adiante?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Alternatives to petroleum-derived chemicals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Can what brought us here, take us further?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Several options are available to replace the fossil fuels we currently use in our mills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n