The OBSERVER
QAL trials biodiesel
Edited by : AL CIRCLE
2 min read
QAL alumina refinery has for some time been has been trialling biodiesel as a supplementary fuel source for start up and operation of its coal-fired boilers.
Biodiesel is stored in tanks on site and pumped into the boilers where it is distributed into injectors where the biodiesel is ignited to provide energy for the creation of high pressure steam.
QAL buys the biodiesel from National Biodiesel Limited.
QAL Health, Safety, Environment and Communities manager Ross Greenhalgh told The Observer the refinery was motivated to trial the new method for environmental reasons.
"QAL commenced trial use of biodiesel in December 2010 for the purpose of investigating different fuel options to suppplement coal feed and to reduce sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide emissions," Mr Greenhalgh said.
"QAL will continue to explore and use fuel options that assist in improving emissions while being sustainable from a cost perspective."
"More than 30,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions will be avoided by using biodiesel as a renewable resource in 2011."
Mr Greenhalgh said the amount of biodiesel consummed at the refinery depended on operations on any given day.
One of the first QAL asked when considering biodiesel whether it would damage food security around the globe. An international food crisis a few years ago lead to criticisms that biodiesel was reducing food production.
But one of the keys to National Biodiesel Limited's use of soybean is that it actually enhances food production, since oil is extracted and the edible part of the bean remains unaffected.
Biodiesel is stored in tanks on site and pumped into the boilers where it is distributed into injectors where the biodiesel is ignited to provide energy for the creation of high pressure steam.
QAL buys the biodiesel from National Biodiesel Limited.
QAL Health, Safety, Environment and Communities manager Ross Greenhalgh told The Observer the refinery was motivated to trial the new method for environmental reasons.
"QAL commenced trial use of biodiesel in December 2010 for the purpose of investigating different fuel options to suppplement coal feed and to reduce sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide emissions," Mr Greenhalgh said.
"QAL will continue to explore and use fuel options that assist in improving emissions while being sustainable from a cost perspective."
"More than 30,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions will be avoided by using biodiesel as a renewable resource in 2011."
Mr Greenhalgh said the amount of biodiesel consummed at the refinery depended on operations on any given day.
One of the first QAL asked when considering biodiesel whether it would damage food security around the globe. An international food crisis a few years ago lead to criticisms that biodiesel was reducing food production.
But one of the keys to National Biodiesel Limited's use of soybean is that it actually enhances food production, since oil is extracted and the edible part of the bean remains unaffected.
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