Energy Venture by Orcan, Eon, and Holcim: Collaborative Effort Announced
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A groundbreaking project is underway at the Holcim cement plant in Dotternhausen, Germany, that exemplifies a scalable model for energy efficiency in energy-intensive industries. The collaboration between Orcan Energy, Holcim, and Eon Energy Infrastructure Solutions aims to recover low-to-mid temperature waste heat and convert it into useful energy like electricity or hot water.
The project demonstrates the efficient use of industrial waste heat in energy infrastructure. A heat exchanger, about 70 meters in height, will couple the waste heat from the exhaust gases of the cement plant's rotary kiln. The aim is to recover around 10 megawatts of thermal energy from the kiln.
Power generation for the project will be through Orcan Energy's ORC technology (Organic Rankine Cycle). This technology efficiently converts low-temperature waste heat into electricity, thus improving overall plant efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.
Orcan Energy's ORC systems are developed for various industries, and the new high-performance system eP 1000, specifically developed for industrial large-scale applications, will be used. Orcan Energy has already deployed more than 650 modules with over seven million operating hours worldwide, according to its own statements.
Eon will plan, build, finance, operate, and maintain the plant under an Energy-as-a-Service model. This means that Holcim will benefit from CO2 savings over the entire lifespan without any initial investments.
Marten Bunnemann, CEO of Eon, sees great potential for energy infrastructure in the efficient use and integration of industrial waste heat into the regional heat market. The project is expected to reduce Scope 2 emissions, contributing to global industrial decarbonization goals.
The project's modular nature and adaptability to existing industrial heat streams make this approach scalable across various sectors and geographies. If successful, further roll-outs of similar projects are already in planning.
The project strengthens Holcim's role as a pioneer for sustainable building materials. Orcan Energy's goal, as stated by Marten Bunnemann, is to reduce energy consumption in very energy-intensive industries. The installed turbine responds flexibly to fluctuating heat quantities and operates efficiently in both full and partial load operation.
The project at the Holcim cement plant in Dotternhausen is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). This collaboration underscores the commitment of all parties involved to advancing sustainable energy solutions and reducing carbon footprints in energy-intensive industries.
[1] Orcan Energy. (n.d.). Waste Heat Recovery. Retrieved from https://www.orcan-energy.com/en/waste-heat-recovery/
[2] Orcan Energy. (n.d.). ORC Technology. Retrieved from https://www.orcan-energy.com/en/orc-technology/
[3] Holcim. (n.d.). Holcim. Retrieved from https://www.holcim.com/
[4] Eon Energy Infrastructure Solutions. (n.d.). Energy-as-a-Service. Retrieved from https://www.eon-energy-infrastructure-solutions.com/en/energy-as-a-service/
- The collaboration between Orcan Energy, Holcim, and Eon Energy Infrastructure Solutions is focused on the science of climate-change and environmental-science, aiming to recover low-to-mid temperature waste heat from the cement plant's rotary kiln and convert it into useful energy like electricity or hot water, contributing to renewable-energy industry.
- Orcan Energy's ORC technology, an development in the field of engineering and technology, will be used in this project to efficiently convert low-temperature waste heat into electricity, improving the overall energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions of the cement plant.
- The finance sector plays a role in this project through Eon's Energy-as-a-Service model, which allows Holcim to benefit from CO2 savings over the entire lifespan without any initial investments.
- The successful implementation of this project in the climate-change and renewable-energy scene could lead to further roll-outs of similar projects, potentially impacting and advancing the energy and environmental-science landscape on a broader scale.
