Slag and AshTrade Q&A series: Michele Vigneri, Commercial Director of General Admixtures

In this exclusive interview, part of the Slag and AshTrade 2022 special series, Michele Vigneri, Commercial Director at General Admixtures, reflects on the fly ash market in Europe, as he prepares to join GMI Global's Slag and AshTrade 2022, to be held on May 18-19, in Cologne, Germany. Book your pass here.

According to him, fly ash is one of the best pozzolanic additives that can be added to cement and concrete as prime material and in many cement-based products. It provides better performance like strength, durability, and workability and it helps to reduce its carbon footprint, at the lowest possible cost.

However, as power companies move away from coal, fly ash availability is likely to become a concern. On the other hand, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has slowed down these decarbonization efforts as input prices skyrocketed and coal-fired power plants returned to a large share of electricity generation in various countries in Europe.

 *****

In your industry, is fly ash a common additive for concrete admixture or is it relatively rare in Italy and in Europe?

In my opinion yes, it is. Fly Ash is one of the most common additives for ready-mix concrete and cement-based products. General Admixtures (GA) is one of the premiers fly ash suppliers in the Italian market, for concrete producers (RM/PC) and cement plants. Over the past fifteen years, most of our efforts have been focused on improving this business also through a specific storage facility in Porto Marghera - Venezia (3 silo - 26,000 tons storage capacity, 1,500 tons loading rate/day), through which it is possible to guarantee constant supplies to our customers located in Italy.

Do you see growth potential for the supply of fly ash in Europe over the next few years?

The market now is open-minded to fly ash as pozzolanic additive. First of all, for environmental reasons - fly ash is recognized as an environmentally friendly material able to reduce natural resources consumption.  Moreover, the fly ash can improve the technological performances of RM/PC mix concrete and the majority of cement-based products. For these reasons, we can expect an increase in the demand for fly ash in the next few years.

Is it easy to source fly ash within Italy? Or do you get it from other EU member countries?

In the last 10 years, most EU member countries have progressively abandoned the use of coal for new resources with a lower environmental impact. This situation has resulted in less quantity of fly ash available on the European market year by year.  In order to offer constant fly ash supplies, new sources have been activated in the last 2 years.

Do you believe the conflict between Russia and Ukraine will force more companies to use coal, at least in the short term, and thereby increase the availability of fly-ash?

Yes. By our information, due to the recent “Gas Crisis” and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, since the end of last year, the majority of the coal fire power plant located in EU are fully operating. Since the beginning of 2022, the availability of fly ash from local sources has made it possible to satisfy customers’ demand. In consideration of this really bad situation related to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine,  many European Countries will be obliged to use at least a part of coal as an energy supply.

What is the comparative advantage of using fly ash rather than other cementitious materials or additives, besides cost?

As I have already argued, the use of fly ash determines multiple advantages, especially in terms of quality and durability of concrete and cement. It can be an environmentally friendly material and also a cost-effective substitute for cement (clinker reduction). Fly ash is an “easy and ready-to-use” material and also for this reason it is one of the most widely used powder additives for concrete.

We know coal plants closed due to environmental concerns. Does this mean less fly ash is available? How do you see the future of this market?

By our information, regarding the Italian market, there are no coal fire Power Plants closing due to environmental concerns. It is correct to say that it was a sort of a movement the market and the European countries were doing to close some coal fire Power Plants and to turn some others into gas fire Power Plants. Or any other solutions able to reduce the environmental carbon footprint. For this reason within the next few years, it will be reasonable to face a market with very low fly ash quantities.