From the beginning of 2018, the EKOTECH Group managed 250,000 tonnes of coal ashes, producing from them, among others 100,000 tonnes of TEFRA® hydraulic binder. In this way, the company helps to solve the growing problem of managing ashes deposited in the landfill at coal-fired power plants. Its scale is confirmed by the fact that already 5 years ago, the annual production of ash and other minerals from combustion in Polish power plants exceeded 20 million tonnes.

According to global estimates, only 60 percent of the by-products of combustion (CCPs) produced by the global energy industry are subject to re-use. The remaining 40 percent it is deposited in the landfills, creating a burden for the environment as well as power plants, paying for their protection and maintenance. In the case of Poland, the CCPs development coefficient is even lower. The EKOTECH GROUP solves this problem by converting ash into hydraulic binders – a cheaper and more environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional products such as concrete and cement.

“The production of Portland clinker, which is a component of cement, requires very high temperatures. As a result, the entire manufacture process is energy-consuming and generates high air pollution. Producing one tonne of cement accounts for approximately 700 kg of CO₂ emitted to the atmosphere. The production of TEFRA® does not involve any additional CO₂ emissions, apart from the one associated with the burning of coal in the power plant. Put simply: the power plant does its work by burning coal and producing energy, and we process what remains from this combustion process“- explains Kamil Szczygielski, CEO of the EKOTECH GROUP.

TEFRA® binders improve the load-bearing capacity of the substrate, so that they can provide the ground for road, railway or large format facilities (such as, for example, factory halls). TEFRA® is also used in hydrotechnical construction (improving the parameters of embankments). Thanks to the high efficiency of the production installation, binders are produced on the site of the power plant when there is a demand for it. The ash goes directly to the production installation and from it the finished product is transported directly to the construction site.

Plans for the second quarter of 2018

The production of TEFRA® increased by 25% compared to the same period of the previous year. In the second half of 2018, the delivery of 150,000 tonnes of TEFRA® was already contracted. Thanks to that, 75 thousand tonnes of CO₂ less will get into the atmosphere, and 250 thousand tonnes of ash instead of landfill will go to the construction site. Processing of ashes brings benefits not only for the environment and the construction industry, but also for the power industry.

“Ashes deposition is associated not only with a high environmental burden and landscape degradation. It is also a huge problem for power plants that have to pay for maintenance and protection of landfills, pay tax on land on which these ash heaps are located, and tax on storage. We remove this burden from energy companies, processing ash right away in the power plant. Savings on this account are several million zlotys a year.”- said Kamil Szczygielski.