INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE “FROM WASTE TO GREEN ENERGY WITH LESS CO2” SUCCESSFULLY ORGANIZED
On October 6th, 2021, the Lukavac Cement Factory organized unique international conference “From waste to green energy with less CO₂” to mark 20 years of successful privatization. In compliance with all epidemiological measures, the conference brought together representatives of the construction industry, cement producers, representatives of the governmental and non-governmental sector, local communities and educational institutions. Eminent experts from Austria, Germany, Serbia and BiH highlighted as the main topic the initiation of changes in the field of waste disposal and its reuse in BiH and region, and drawing attention to the importance of green energy.
“I think that we must turn the current situation in our favor, not to view it as a problem but as an opportunity. We have been working on the substitution of alternative fuels for the last five years, we have currently reduced the level of CO₂ by 10%, and the plan is to bring that percentage to 25%” said Stjepan Kumrić, General Manager of the Lukavac Cement Factory.
The Lukavac Cement Factory has been continuously monitoring the work standards of the European Union for these 20 years. “The Lukavac Cement Factory is not only the most modern factory of this type of production in BIH, but also the most modern center in Europe. We want local levels to be self-sustaining, but if the local community cannot take on that role, we as producers need to have a standard how to take care of the environment” said Harald Fritsch, CEO of Asamer Baustoffe AG in Austria.
According to Agenda 2030, the whole Europe should replace the use of oil, coal and gas with alternative fuels, which many experts consider a new industrial revolution. “Such processes have to be conducted at the state level, in line with the practice in the region. Unfortunately, there is not much interest in BIH for the implementation of this project at the state level, and many experts believe that the private sector will be the carrier of this transition,” warned Mirza Kušljugić, president of the Steering Committee of the Center for Sustainable Energy Transition RESET. “The cement industry of Serbia has been using alternative fuels for 10 years, and we are recording a substitution of 40%, but even that is not enough. We have to solve such changes globally and implement them locally”, emphasized Dejana Milinković, Director of the Business Association “Cement Industry of Serbia”.
Creating self-sustainable systems at the local level would significantly accelerate the efficiency of this process. “Waste management and the production sector are two strongly connected sectors. It is important to strengthen both segments at the level of each local community, and be able to supply with these raw materials in order to accelerate all production processes but also reduce waste during production” said Renato Sarc, Deputy Head of Waste Processing Technology and Waste Management from Montan University of Leoben from Austria.
