The total yield from the sale of all types of ash and slag in 2012 according to invoices amounted to near 30 million tons of RSD, i.e. by around seven million RSD more than in 2011 – Law amendments necessary for allowing the usage of ash in road construction modeled after foreign experience.
Continuing business cooperation with the cement plants in Serbia and some local construction companies, the Company “TPP Nikola Tesla” sold a certain amount of ash and slag in 2012. The purchase of these items obtained in the process of power generation, by combustion of Kolubara lignite, was by 7,000 tons higher last year than in 2011.
In 2012, the amount of 141,191 tons of ash was delivered; of which 87,617 tons of ash are dry ash and 53,573 tons wet ash. In the same period, 151 tons of slag was delivered from TPPNT B. Most of the delivered quantities of dry ash was taken over by the cement plant “Lafarge BFC” from Beočin, about 36,000 tons of ash, then by cement plant “Titan” from Kosjeric, about 27,000 tons, and “Holcim” from Popovac, with a bit over 6,000 tons, while the remaining amount of dry ash went to several construction companies.
Pursuant to contracts with interested buyers, the selling price of dry ash was 2, 2 euros per ton for the product from TENT B, i.e. 1.8 euros per ton from TPP Kolubara, while the price of slag was 1,2 euros, and the price of wet ash 1 euro per ton. Total yield from the sale of all types of ash and slag in 2012, according to the invoices, was close to 30 million RSD, i.e. about seven million RSD more than in 2011.
If, however, the amount of sold ash is compared with the amount higher than four million tons, what was the total ash production in 2012, in TPPNT, one can say that purchased quantities were negligible and represent only a drop in this vast black sea. The ash can be used in local conditions, for this purpose, someone said at last year’s consultations held in Palić, which was in part dedicated to ash and slag in TPPs in Serbia.
Participants of the meeting agreed that it is time to launch an initiative for the appropriate legislative changes that would allow the use of ash in road construction, modeled on foreign experience.
– It would be good that, like all developed countries, we start as well to use the ash in road construction, because our resources are vast – said Mr. Zoran Bajić, the Head of the Environmental Protection Department in TPPNT who also participated in this meeting.
In addition to amendments of legal regulations, he said that it is necessary to raise and promote public awareness that is pretty much distrustful of the possibility of using ash as a base for roads. By its use in the construction of roads, Mr. Bajić added, the spending of non-renewable natural resources would be reduced, such as sand, gravel and stone, and thus they would be preserved for future generations. On the other hand, the emergence of new stockpiles would be prevented, and large areas of fertile lands saved.
Namely, the Belgrade Institute of Roads a.d. developed a study back in 2007, by which in the technological process, method of installation and its protection, it proved that it is possible to use the ash in road construction, with no danger to the environment and people.
– The properties and features of ash are tested, of ash emerging directly from the production in thermal power plant “Nikola Tesla A and B”, and the results of those tests done in several local accredited laboratories have shown that the ash can be efficiently used for road construction – Mr. Vladan Vujanić, MSc, the director of the Institute for geotechnics, one of the participants in development of this study, and thereby establishing that these findings were confirmed and verified by Geotechnics Institute of Prague.
And in order to “guide” ash towards the road, according to him, it is required to amend legal regulations – by an adequate act, to take the “villain” label off it and to allow its use for this purpose. It is required also to make a trial road portion using ash in the road body, on the basis of which technical specification and standards would be made for mass usage in road construction. The interest in ash from Obrenovac thermal power plants does not abate at the beginning of 2013, but according to the words of the Department for environmental protection and improvement in TPPNT, a rise in demand does not follow a rise in the quantity of the demanded product.
Source Serbia Energy/EPS TENT
