Sustainable cement sector index

It is evident that the cement industry has an important contribution to the Turkish economy while having a CO2 emission level of 58.681.660 tonnes CO2/year and being an energy intensive industry with an electric consumption of 7.606.989 MWh. In contrast, there is an absence of detailed studies in the literature covering the entire cement plants in Turkey. In this study, 49 integrated cement plants which were active in 2014 are analyzed, and it is intended to form an index dedicated to a sustainable cement sector based on the energy, production and CO2 emissions data presented to the General Directorate of Renewable Energy. In the study, 15 sub-groups covering 3 dimensions as energy, environment and economics have been identified and a Sustaınable Cement Sector Index has been developed. Various measurement units (kWh / ton clinker, kWh / ton cement, Tonne CO2, %, TL etc.) have been utilised and a composite index method has been applied. The data in the same data set are normalised between 1 – 0 as per the lowest and the highest values. Two conditions occur while normalising the data between the lowest and the highest values. Therefore, respective equations are used in the cases where high values (emission lowering, economical benefits etc.) or low values are prefered (energy intensity, emission intesity etc.). The plants are evaluated with the normalised data identified per dimension, sub-indicators and the three dimensions together. The change of the order of the plants with the changes in the various weights are analyzed. Via the best available techniques, suggestions for the ideal cement plant have been developed under emissions lowering, decreasing the specific energy intensity, co-generation of the wastes, decreasing the direct and indirect CO2 emissions and contribution to the economics scope. The positive effects of waste heat recovery, which have recently been started to be utilised in the sector, and the use of secondory fuels while in a lower extent are put forth while the order of the plants that realize both of these applications in their facilities are investigated.