|
|
Lafarge Tetouan Plant First to Use Wind Power
The wind farm that provides 50% of the electrical needs of the Lafarge cement plant in Tetouan, Northern Morocco, was officially registered as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) by the CDM Executive Committee in Bonn on September 23, 2005. The wind farm in Tetouan has benefited from the support of the Moroccan and French authorities : it's the first project ever approved by the French "Mission Interministérielle de l'Effet de Serre". It is the first CDM project registered to the CDM Executive Board for Morocco and France. The 1997 Kyoto Protocol sets quantitative targets for industrialized countries to limit or reduce greenhouse gas emissions: by 2008-2012, emissions must be reduced by 5,2% from 1990 levels. The protocol authorizes three flexibility mechanisms to help industrialized countries meet their quantified targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and help emerging countries achieve sustainable development goals, including emissions credits. Registration of the wind farm is the final step in the CDM process. The project will generate emissions credits after certification that emissions have actually been reduced after one year of operation. The twelve wind turbines started operating in May 2005. With an output of 850 KW each, together they will generate total output of 10 MW (in compliance with Moroccan legislation limiting the amount of private electrical power generation). The turbines are located on the site of the cement plant, particularly exposed to the wind. The average wind speed exceeds 9 m/s. At the world level, wind speeds of 7 to 8 m/s are considered to offer strong potential for the development of wind farms. The location was carefully studied before erecting the wind turbines. Lafarge invited the neighbouring communities - who were not at all familiar with wind power - to visit another wind farm in Northern Morocco to judge the visual impact and low audible nuisance for themselves. After reassuring local residents, Lafarge also investigated the flight corridors of migratory birds. In the end, the wind turbines were carefully integrated within the landscape. They were installed on the crest of a hill, 250 m from the nearest residences (surpassing French standards, which call for 80 m). The cost of the wind farm is estimated at about 10 million Euros. When the cement plant is undergoing maintenance, any surplus electrical power generated by the wind farm will be resold to the Moroccan Office National d'Électricité (ONE), according to a buyback contract signed with ONE. The wind farm will help curtail climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions (by 30 000 t/year). The annual environmental benefit for the planet is equivalent to planting 2 million trees. As part of its firm commitment to sustainable development, Lafarge is implementing different forms of renewable energy depending on locally available resources, such as rice husks in the Philippines, coffee husks in Uganda... The Group currently has two other CDM projects: in Malaysia, palm kernel shells are used as an alternative to fossil fuels; in Brazil, industrial wastes are substituted for limestone, which is a non-renewable natural resource, to manufacture cement. Source: Lafarge
|
|
© InfraStructures - Tous droits réservés - All rights reserved |
