All too often in the industry, valuable high temperature heat cannot be re-used within operational processes and needs to be released as waste heat. Just hours later, at the same site or at the neighbour’s factory, a gas boiler is starting to provide steam for other processes (e.g. process heat, steam degassing) – but now it’s too late to repurpose the lost energy. Storing waste heat and using for steam on demand is the missing link towards a better solution, making steam available on-demand dramatically reducing plant fuel and operating costs.
All too often in industry valuable high temperature heat from batch processes in furnaces, kilns etc comes in stops and starts. Processes to transform this waste heat into valuable electricity such as Organic Rankine cycle (ORC) rely on constant input, leading to further wastage.
Storing waste heat and truring it to power with our storage system is the missing link towards a better solution, enabling constant electricity production using ORC from waste heat. This innovative approach means reducing plant and electricity costs and increasing independence from the grid.
In recent years, the volatile feed-in of renewable energy sources has sent electricity prices into daily rollercoasters, requiring combined cycle gas turbines (CCGT) to move from baseload to two or even three cycles a day. This stop-start approach means precious steam is being dumped and wasted – but a new solution is here.
Storing steam and turning it to power captures, stores and recycles excess steam, allowing it to be re-used for auxiliary processes as needed
In recent years, the volatile feed-in of renewable energy sources has sent electricity prices into daily rollercoasters and anchilliary service compensation in the sky. Due to inflexible boilers, industrial steam delivery contracts and/or disposal requirements, existing biomass, waste-to-energy plants often can not benefit from this but instead are forced to accept losses in these hours and dump electricity in the grid when it is not needed.
Storing steam and turning it to power offers an antidote, bringing a new dimension to must-run electricity generation. By unlocking the flexibility to time shift power production from low to high, additional revenues are generated
All over Europe, large-scale photovoltaic (PV) projects and wind farms are being developed, with expansion targets more than doubling countries’ peak demands. At the same time, industrial manufacturers are desperately seeking ways to decarbonize their process steam, yet heat pumps don’t work for temperatures >200°, geothermal energy is rarely available, and the availability of sustainable biomass/biogas is very limited.
Turning power to steam on manufacturing or utility level with thermal energy storage is the missing link by storing excess electricity and making it available on demand for steam production. This reduces plant operating costs, creates new revenue streams and enables 24/7 renewable energy supply, all as part of an integrated waste to energy solution.
Already today, Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) allows for energy storage as an integrated part of solar plants, enabling on-demand dispatch of electricity or heat during peak hours, or even 24/7 base-load operation. However, current thermal energy storage solutions such as molten salts limit the scaling and long-term economic viability of such systems.
Our technology offers a better solution. A key lever to realize affordable and reliable energy storage, it also comes at a lower CAPEX and OPEX.
Storing thermal oil and turning it to power on demand is the technology of choice to enable the most cost-effective utilization of CSP assets: Increasing CSP flexibility and output, and lowering total costs.
We are always excited to create, design and engineer new solutions completely out of the box together with our customers to meet their requirements. As long as there is heat, steam or electricity without its place, we will store it until needed for 24/7 green energy supply. Get in touch with us to design your custom thermal storage solution for your individual production needs.
Are you interested in ENERGYNEST, or have any questions regarding your green energy or our applications?
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