Report

Measures to reduce cremation-oven gas consumption. Insights for crematoriums

The vast majority of Dutch crematoriums use gas-fired ovens, which account for much of the sector’s gas consumption and CO2 emissions. In the longer term, innovations like electrical ovens may help reduce these emissions, but for the time being many crematoriums have one of more gas-fired ovens that still have many years of service life left. Reducing gas consumption in these ovens is therefore a key route to emissions reduction. In 2020 the National Crematorium Association (LVC) identified a series of measures to this end and asked CE Delft to assess their gas reduction potential.

Six measures with promising short-term potential were further explored and the findings summarised in information sheets ( all in Dutch):

  1. Planning cremations in short sequence
  2. Rescheduling of staff
  3. Staff training/education
  4. Timing pre-heating to the cremation
  5. Finer control of cremation process
  6. Investment in improved oven insulation