In Finland, liquefied natural gas (LNG) producer and distributor Skangas and cement manufacturer Finnsementti have entered into an agreement on the supply of LNG to the Raahe blast-furnace slag plant for use in the cement production process to dry aggregates. The energy switch from heavy fuel oil (HFO) to LNG will improve the efficiency rate and reduce the company's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
Sustainable development is an essential part of our company’s operations. We believe that in the near future LNG will be a more secure, more competitive and, above all, a cleaner fuel from the environmental perspective in comparison with heavy fuel oil. LNG will improve our process efficiency and reduce the carbon dioxide footprint of our production, said Finnsementti Production Director Jussi Puustinen.
The LNG will be delivered to the Finnsementti Raahe plant by road tanker from the Tornio Manga LNG terminal co-owned by Skangas. Before being used, LNG will be regasified on the site. The Technical Services of the Skangas parent company, Finland-headed Gasum Oyj will design and implement the equipment deliveries and installations relating to the introduction of LNG at the Raahe blast-furnace slag plant.
We’re pleased that Finnsementti chose liquefied natural gas as the energy form for its production. LNG’s versatile characteristics come into their own in various industrial process applications. We offer environmentally friendly LNG for a diversity of industrial needs from the Tornio Manga LNG terminal in Northern Finland. From Tornio we’re able to serve industry, mining operators, maritime transport and heavy-duty road transport throughout the Bothnian Bay area as well as Northern Finland, Sweden and Norway, said Tommy Mattila, Sales and Marketing Director at Skangas.
According to Skangas, LNG can also be used to replace the use of petroleum-based fuels in industry, energy production, and heavy-duty road transport. Using LNG instead of oil helps achieve significant cuts in particulate matter (PM) as well as sulphur dioxide (SOx), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.
The use of LNG also enables a switch to liquefied biogas (LBG) without any additional investments. LNG meets the requirements set by the Sulphur Directive regulating shipping emissions as well as the stricter emission limits to be applied in the future.
