A progress report on the Energy-Efficient Quarry project

Panel: 1. Programmes to promote industrial energy efficiency

This is a peer-reviewed paper.

Authors:
Ian Hill, Department of Geology University of Leicester, United Kingdom
Jon Aumonier, Minerl Industry Research Organisation, United Kingdom
Antonio Barona, Solintel, Spain
Ricardo Chavez, EPC-France, France
George Georgocostas, Exergia, Greece
Asastasios Kladis, S & B industrial Minerals S.A., Greece
Rafael Rodriguez Molina, Aridos Carmona (CAMT), Spain
Pawel Poneta, Centro Tecnologico del Marmol (CMT), Spain
Carlos Martin Portugues, Acciona Infraestructuras, Spain
Daniela Reccardo, d'Appolonia, Italy
Piotr Swiezewski, Mostostal Warszawa, Poland

Abstract

The EE-QUARRY project aims to address the energy consumption of the quarrying industry, which is characterized by high energy demands and consequent CO2 emissions. The use of crushed stone, which is essential to the infrastructure of our society, could increase more quickly than any other major material. Given the market size, ample resources and stable growth potential of this industry, the understanding and dissemination of Energy-Efficiency (EE) opportunities is paramount for overall European EE goals. Further, since there are several thousands of quarries throughout Europe, there is a huge opportunity for replication of such EE measures. This paper will present a progress report of the project 2 years into its 4-year lifetime.

The objective of the project is to develop a new modelling and monitoring Energy Management technique. This project will first review the stone extraction and crushing production processes. This project is analysing in detail the energy use in each operational stage such as rock blasting, transportation, crushing, conveying screening and added-value-processing. Standard construction EE measures such as illumination retrofits and support system optimization are insignificant relative to overall plant energy use. The identification of energy opportunities thus relies heavily on overall production systems optimization, which not only encourages EE, but typically benefits productivity as well. EE measures which also yield productivity improvements offer economic incentives that have the magnitude and quick payback to facilitate industry-wide adoption and replication. Once the quarry and its processing plant reach the end of their life-cycle, further opportunities for CO2 neutralizing activities arise. The intended project outcome is to use the Energy Management model to generate EE opportunities and CO2 compensation activities to minimise the environmental impact created throughout the quarry life-cycle.