Future of Cement Kilns in TX

Why Cement Kilns Need to 

Change Energy Sources
Past and Present

• Most of the other speakers today will extol the 

past and present sins of the cement kilns much 

better than I can.

• I am here to speak about the present into two 

different futures for the cement kiln industry in 

and near the Metroplex.

• One future is indeed dark and unhappy for 

everyone.

• The other is hard, onerous, and risky, but it has a 

much happier ending for everyone.
The Present

• The cement industry is accused of pumping 

massive amounts of extremely harmful toxics into 

the air and water. It is legal because the EPA has 

not said it is illegal.

• These toxics come from burning lignite coal and 

various toxic wastes in the business of producing 

cement. It is legal because they have permits 

allowing them to do it.

• Why they burn these toxic wastes is because they 

are paid to get rid of them by incineration. 

• These toxins cause many health problems for a 

very large number of people.
The Future if Nothing Changes

• If the EPA decides to not enforce new rules 

making the disbursal of toxics illegal, the 

cement industry will continue producing 

them. 

• And they will increase the amount of toxics 

produced because they need the money to 

offset the increasing cost of thermal coal 

called lignite coal.
Lignite Coal’s Future

• The future of lignite coal production is limited.

• The supply of lignite coal is tightening globally.

• Competition for available supply is increasing 

because China and India are building 2 lignite 

burning power plants per week

• China is coming all the way to Texas and South 

America to buy and ship lignite coal to those 

power plants in China.

• The world is burning up lignite coal at a voracious 

rate which begs the question; “How much coal is 

available?”
Don’t have TX, but Appalachia will do
Why?

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United States - Production of Lignite Coal (ST)

United States
Industrial Waste is Not Going Away

• As the supply of lignite coal decreases and 

gets more expensive, the burning of industrial 

waste will increase to make up the shortfall of 

energy supply.

• The burning of industrial waste will be 

stopped either by the EPA or the cement 

industry going out of business because fuel 

becomes too expensive to produce cement.
The Other Future

• Since the cost and availability of coal is the 

problem, lets look at an alternate source of 

heat for the cement industry.

• Solar thermal systems can provide the heat 

and other benefits.

• eSolar, an American company, builds solar 

thermal systems for electricity generation. 

• It can instead supply heat directly to a cement 

kiln. 
eSolar’s SunTower System
Features

• The picture is of an actual operational facility 

in Nevada.

• The steam temperature is 440 degrees C.

• Land area for a single module is 10 acres with 

12,000 mirrors.

• A typical installation has 2 modules with 2 

SunTowers and 2 generator stations producing 

5MW of power.
Alternate Income Using a SunTower

• When the SunTower is not needed to supply 

heat for the cement kilns, it can be used to:

– Generate electricity for the local grid. This would 

generate revenue at peak demand rates which will 

soon be ~ $0.30+ per kWh.

– Generate methane for future use or sale. Methane 

is produce by extracting CO2 from air or other 

sources combining it with water and electricity.

– CO2 + 2H2O + energy -> CH4 + 2O2

– The O2 can also be sold as a product.
Conclusion

• A solar powered future will keep the cement 

industry alive and profitable for the 

foreseeable future.

• Healthcare costs in the community will 

decrease.

• An emergency supply of electricity for peak 

demand needs is available.

• A Win-Win solution
Decision

• If the cement industry will make the 

conversion to solar, then give them two years 

to do it. And help them with government 

loans.

• If the cement industry will not make the 

conversion, implement the rule changes 

immediately to help them make up their 

minds.