Estimativa da demanda de biomassa para combustão em indústrias de cerâmica vermelha do estado de Alagoas

Abstract

Firewood is an energy resource that is becoming increasingly scarce, mainly due to the lack of reforestation areas in the industries that use this resource and the uncontrolled use of firewood from native species. Biomass of forest origin is an important source of energy in the Brazilian energy matrix. The aim of this work was to characterize the consumption and origin of firewood and other biomasses used by ceramic industries in the State of Alagoas. A total of 5 active ceramic industries were evaluated, registered with SINDICER (Union of the Ceramic Products Industry of the State of Alagoas), they were identified as ceramics A, B, C, D and E. An analysis was carried out through a questionnaire conducted directly in order to identify some characteristics of each ceramic distributed throughout the state of Alagoas. The description of the company was made using letters in order to maintain confidentiality in relation to the results of each company. The collected data were tabulated using spreadsheets and descriptive analyzes. All the ceramics analyzed in this research used more than one biomass, the most used ones being: eucalyptus, eucalyptus coast, firewood (mango trees), acacia, coconut palm, hazelnuts, bamboo, mesquite, coconut shell, sawdust. The origin of the biomass used in the ceramics was practically all from the State of Alagoas, with the exception of eucalyptus, part of which came from Bahia. The (ceramics) companies interviewed expressed the need for more species used as biomass, in order to lower the cost of the final product, and to improve the quality of the wood in terms of the moisture content of the material and its heterogeneity, which normally vary with each cargo received. The study also reveals the need to plant degraded areas for the purpose of obtaining biomass for energy production.

Keywords: Forest biomass; eucalyptus; ceramics sector; consumption; solid fuel; direct combustion.