Dominican Republic cement plants ready to access carbon credits

Of the 36 megatons of CO2 released into the atmosphere last year, the country’s cement industry accounted for 1.5 megatons, revealed National Climatic Change Council director Omar Ramirez yesterday.

The official, who headed a workshop on greenhouse gas emissions, spurred the cement plants to access carbon credits and to take actions such as changing to less pollutant fuels.

Council member Moisés Alvarez also affirmed that the cement makers can reduce emissions by a change of fuel. “Instead of using a fossil fuel, they can use biomass. For example, if it’s fuel oil or coal, they could convert to natural gas.”

Dominican Republic’s 10 operating cement plants are part of sector that consumes the most furnace and electrical energy.

During the presentation of their 2010 results, executives of the cement companies announced investments of US$100 million in energy self-generation, in mechanisms aimed at reducing pollutants, recycling and the use of control equipment, and didn’t discard to use of alternate fuels such as natural gas.

The Kyoto Protocol’s carbon credit is an instrument whereby each credit equals one ton of CO2 not released to the atmosphere.

Source: Dominican Today

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