Oman’s first scrap tyre-based Waste-to-Energy plant nearing completion

Circular economy: Oman Cement set to commission a first-of-its-kind project that will use shredded tyres as an alternative fuel source for its cement manufacturing operations

CONRAD PRABHU

MUSCAT: Majority government-owned Oman Cement says it plans to commission, by the end of this year, a first-ever Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plant, utilizing shredded scrap tyres, in a landmark effort to reduce its dependence on natural gas as its primary fuel source.

Company officials said during a recent investment forum hosted by Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) that construction work on the tyre-chips based plant is ongoing, with commissioning slated during the fourth quarter of this year.

The Waste-to-Energy plant is part of a fuel diversification strategy adopted by the publicly traded cement firm – which is 51 per cent owned by Oman Investment Authority (OIA) – that envisions access to a mix of alternative, sustainable energy sources.

Two years ago, Oman Environmental Services Holding Company (be’ah), which oversees the country’s solid waste services sector, signed an agreement with Oman Cement to supply 30,000 tonnes of tyre-derived fuel (TDF) annually in the form of shredded tyres.

“The TDF samples were tested by Oman Cement to ensure compliance to emission standards and were granted operational permit from Environment Authority,” be’ah affirmed in a recent report.

Separately, with low-carbon hydrogen expected to come into production in sizable quantities in the coming years as part of Oman’s energy transition goals, Oman Cement is also studying options to add this environment-friendly energy source to its energy mix. To this end, the company is working with the National Hydrogen Alliance (Hy-Fly) – a grouping of Omani and international energy companies and sector stakeholders – to progress this opportunity.

The use of tyre chips as a fuel source is another triumph for Oman’s authorities in supporting the growth of a circular economy in the Sultanate of Oman. An estimated 45,000 tons of scrap tyres are generated every year in the Sultanate – a figure that is projected to rise in line with population growth and urbanization.

End-of-life tyres (ELT), as they are also called, have been stockpiled at around nine landfills around the country as recycling opportunities are explored by investors in coordination with be’ah. The distribution of the scrap tyres across multiple locations is designed to mitigate risks associated with accidental fires.

Waste tyres are widely used as a fuel resource in cement kilns in a number of countries around the world, either as the primary fuel or in combination with natural gas and coal. Once stripped of their metal reinforcements, such as wires, the waste tyres are then shredded into chips, known as ‘Tyre Derived Fuel’ (TDF). These chips are typically used in high heat operations, such as cement kilns, waste-to-energy schemes, and power plants.