Againity

Againity receives order from ESANI for first ORC turbine to Greenland

Swedish Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) turbine developer and supplier Againity AB, has announced that it has been selected by Greenlandic waste management company ESANI A/S to supply a 355 kW ORC turbine for a waste-to-energy (WtE) plant in Nuuk, Greenland with an option for a second ORC unit.

Formed in 2019, ESANI A/S is Greenland’s new national waste management company with a director and a board, whose members come from all of the participating municipalities. The main aim of ESANI is to create solutions for the collection and handling of all forms of waste in Greenland and increase the capacity for local waste management and energy recovery for district heating.

This includes the building of two new waste-to-energy (WtE) plants in Sisimiut and Nuuk for combustible waste and 2-3 waste oil facilities in Qarqortoq, Aasiaat, and Maniitsoq. Other types of waste will be sent for processing to other locations in Greenland or abroad.

The existing WtE plant in Nuuk can treat approximately 40 tonnes of waste every 24 hours whereas the new plants will be able to treat approximately 53 tonnes of waste every 24 hours.

Option for a second ORC

To complement the waste-fired boilers, ESANI has chosen to add-on ORC turbines from Againity to generate local and weather-independent electricity. The order, the value of which has not been disclosed, consists of an ORC turbine to the plant in Nuuk with an option for ESANI to order an additional module for the planned new WtE plant in Sisimiut.

The new plant will deliver heat to the district heating network and excess heat from the waste incineration is connected to the ORC turbine which enables local and weather-independent electricity production.

Because we are connected to a limited district heating system, a lot of energy is wasted because we have to cool the energy away without being able to use it. With the implementation of ORC technology from Againity, we now have the opportunity to use our entire energy potential either as district heating or as transformed internal electrification. This makes perfect sense for us as a company and for the environment, said Frank Rasmussen, Director at ESANI.

The ORC turbine from Againity will have an installed generator capacity of 355 kW and the unit will be installed during summer 2021. It will use heat from the existing waste boiler, which is later to be replaced by the new waste boiler plant but with the same ORC connection.

Since the ORC turbine will recycle excess heat from the incineration process, the installation will contribute to a more circular and climate-smart energy system, while reducing electricity costs on site.

We are honoured to be part of ESANI’s efforts to increase the energy efficiency at the waste management plants. By recycling local waste into energy and producing electricity with the ORC turbine, ESANI replaces imported fossil fuels in the national electricity mix and contributes to a more sustainable and local energy system, commented Elin Ledskog, Head of Sales at Againity, adding that the order will mark the first installation on the North American continent for the company.

Read the article in Bioenergy International here>>

Againity and Schmid enter collaboration for small-scale CHP

Swedish ORC turbine manufacturer Againity AB and Swiss boiler manufacturer Schmid AG Energy Solutions have signed a collaboration agreement for delivery of small-scale CHP plants. Existing as well as new boiler plants can now add-on an ORC turbine, allowing the plant to combine its renewable heat production with local weather-independent power production.

“We are impressed by the technology and the modularity of Againity’s product”, says Marcel Danuser, Head of Export Sales at Schmid energy solutions.

The ORC turbine can be connected to hot water boilers as well as steam boilers. With local power production, the plant cuts electricity and power grid costs while releasing capacity on the local grid and contributing to more renewable electricity production.

We are very glad that Schmid has chosen us as a supplier for Schmid boilers, to complement their existing heat offer with electricity production”, says David Frykerås, CEO of Againity. “We are impressed by the performance of Schmid boilers and their network in Central Europe as well as globally.”

Schmid energy solutions is a Swiss family business, which is dealing with energy issues for over 80 years and employs about 300 people. In the course of their successful company history Schmid have evolved to become an international specialist and manufacturer of systems for biomass energy. Nowadays, Schmid energy solutions is one of the leading companies in the industry worldwide. In addition to its headquarters, the Schmid Group comprises three more offices in Switzerland. The company has 9 subsidiaries in Europe and many strong partnerships around the globe.

About Againity

Againity offers in-house developed and patented ORC turbine systems for sustainable electricity production. Founded in Norrköping in 2013, Againity has established fast on the Nordic market of small-scale CHP plants where existing hot water and steam boilers are complemented with the modular ORC turbine system. Today Againity is building ORC turbine number 21, already covering 15% of the Swedish CHP plants and now establishing on new international markets.

Gislaved Energi to convert from bioheat to CHP with a 200 kW ORC

Swedish municipal energy provider Gislaved Energi AB has announced that it will invest in a 200 kW Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) turbine from compatriot Againity AB and thus transform its biomass-fired heating plant into a combined heat and power (CHP) plant. The investment means that Gislaved Energi will produce approximately 770 MWh of electricity annually and thereby reduce its internal electricity costs significantly.

Gislaved Energi is already a fossil-free municipal energy provider thanks to its biomass-fired district heat plant as well as its solar, wind, and hydropower installations. The new investment, the value of which has not been disclosed, will enable an additional 200 kW of weather-independent electricity production capacity to reduce costs for self-consumption.

Of course, it feels very inspiring that we are now taking another climate step forward as we create the opportunity to produce sustainable electricity at our district heating plant in Mossarp, said Hans Brunström, CEO of Gislaved Energi AB.

The Mossarp district heat plant currently consists of two woodchip-fired boilers (5 MW and 7 MW) with flue gas condensers (1.2 MW and 2 MW) and an HVO-fired oil boiler (5 MW) as backup and reserve. The woodchip boilers and flue gas condensers were installed in 2013 and 2018 respectively and the backup boiler in 2018.

In addition, 47.8 kW solar PV was installed on the boiler house roof of the 5 MW boiler in 2016 to power the pumps.

Reduce emissions, increase local power supply

The new 200 kW ORC turbine will be connected to the heating plant’s recently installed 7 MW woodchip-fired boiler from Jernforsen, where the installation consists of two pipes for the boiler circuit and two pipes for the district heating return.

Gislaved Energi’s expected electricity production of approximately 770 MWh annually corresponds to an emission reduction of 690 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2eq) per annum when replacing European marginal electricity.

In addition to the positive environmental aspects, the heating plant’s internal electricity costs will be reduced as electricity production will cover a large part of the plant’s internal consumption.

We are very pleased to be entrusted with the task of supplementing Gislaved’s heating plant with its own electricity production. Now that we are seeing an increasingly heavy load on the electricity grid, cogeneration has an important role to play for the local electricity supply – not least during the winter months when both electricity consumption and cogeneration are at their greatest, said Elin Ledskog, Head of Sales at Againity AB.

The Norrköpings based company Againity has developed and manufactured modular ORC systems since 2013 and has a patent for the turbine’s unique design. The technology works like an ordinary steam turbine, with the difference that an organic refrigerant is used instead of water. This means that even low-value heat from 90 degrees C and up can be used for electricity production.

Contact persons:

Rikard Bondéus, Team Manager Heat at Gislaved Energi AB, +46 (0) 371-58 91 18, rikard.bondeus@gislavedenergi.se
Elin Ledskog, Head of Sales at Againity AB, 0705-29 32 23, elin.ledskog@againity.com

Read the article in Bioenergy International here>>

Västervik Miljö & Energi invests in an ORC turbine from Againity

In Sweden, Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) solutions provider Againity AB has announced that it has been selected by municipal energy company Västervik Miljö & Energi AB to supply a 90 kW ORC turbine to enable self-electricity production at its Gamleby biomass-fired heating plant.

Västervik Miljö & Energi has chosen to invest in a 90 kW ORC turbine from Againity to produce electricity for self-consumption at its heating plant in Gamleby, Sweden

photo courtesy Västervik Miljö & Energi

In addition to a reduction in the plant’s electricity and grid costs, the installation is expected to result in annual emission savings of 315 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2eq) when replacing coal-based electricity in the European grid.

Climate-neutral by 2030

Västervik Miljö & Energi has strived for sustainability and climate-smart solutions and sees the ORC turbine as an environmentally friendly investment that will help the business achieve its goal of becoming climate neutral by 2030.

While performing the renewal of the heating plant, it was an easy choice to invest in local, environmentally-friendly electricity production. We chose an ORC turbine for its simplicity. With an ORC unit connected to one of our new hot water boilers, we expect to produce half of our own annual need for electricity at the heating plant in Gamleby, said Clas Johansson, Production Manager at Västervik Miljö & Energi AB.

The ORC turbine will be connected to the heating plant’s new wood-fired 5 MW hot water boiler and convert parts of the hot water into electricity. The 90 kW turbine will produce approximately 350 MWh of electricity per annum.

We thank Västervik Miljö och Energi for this opportunity and look forward to starting the construction of the third ORC turbine in the region of Småland. To be part of enabling increased production of renewable electricity from local forest waste feels fantastic, said Elin Ledskog, Head of Sales at Againity.

20th turbine order

The order represents the 20th ORC turbine in Sweden to be built by Againity and according to the company, market interest in the technology is growing. With a simple installation which only requires two pipes to the boiler circuit and two pipes to the district heating return, the ORC turbine can convert low-temperature heat into renewable electricity.

This enables also small and medium-sized companies to reach a profitable installation – both economically and environmentally. The fact that the electricity production from the ORC turbine is largest during wintertime – when the demand is highest – also contributes to the high demand for ORC turbines.

Svenljunga heating plant, Sweden

Photo: Fredrik Malmlund

Background:

The heating plant in Svenljunga was established in 1983 and has been operated by Solör Bioenergi since 2011. The heating plant consists of a wood chip-fired steam boiler and delivers both steam and district heating. To supplement existing heat production with its own renewable electricity production, Solör Bioenergi chose in November 2019 to invest in an ORC turbine. The following year, the heating plant was upgraded to a combined heat and power plant. The heating plant in Svenljunga is the third of Solör Bioenergi’s facilities that has so far been supplemented with an ORC turbine from Againity.

Our solution:

Againity delivered an automated ORC system with a maximum capacity of 315 kW electricity production. The ORC system enables electricity production from the heating plant’s steam boiler. In total, the system is expected to produce 1.36 GWh of electricity annually, corresponding to annual emission savings of 1,200 CO2 equivalents when substituting
coal-based electricity.


Owner: Solör Bioenergi Fjärrvärme AB
Location: Svenljunga, Sweden
Existing heat plant: 13.4 MW steam boiler
Fuel: Wood chips
Heat generation: 26.3 GWh/year
Temperature boiler circuit: 150°C
Return temperature district heating: 47-50 °C
Againity’s delivery: ORC AT315
Expected electricity generation: 1360 MWh/year

Solör Bioenergi takes delivery of third Againity ORC turbine

In Sweden, Solör Bioenergi, part of renewable energy provider Solör Bioenergy Group has taken delivery of its third Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) turbine from compatriot Againity AB, this time at its Svenljunga biomass-fired district heat plant. The ”Plug’n’Play” installation will turn the facility into a combined heat and power (CHP) plant enabling it to become self-sufficient in electricity. The turbine converts hot water from district heating production into electricity.

A leading player in renewable energy based on wood fuels, Solör Bioenergy Group has operations in 147 locations, primarily in Sweden and Norway, producing and distributing district heating, steam and electricity to homes, companies, public enterprises, and industries.

The district heating plant in Svenljunga has been running since the beginning of the 1980s and has been operated by Solör Bioenergi since 2011. The plant has a biomass boiler that annually produces approximately 45 GWh of district heating from recycled wood.

Increasing efficiencies and reducing losses

Energy efficiency is an important part of Solör Bioenergi’s work and the company works continuously to save energy in the facilities by increasing efficiencies and reducing losses.

The installation of the ORC turbine is a fantastic step in the right direction for Solör Bioenergi, which works for climate-smart solutions. In addition to the fact that we will be self-sufficient in electricity, we also have the opportunity to sell some of the electricity, said Nicklas Eld, Regional Manager Solör Bioenergi Väst.

In a typical conventional power plant, water is converted into steam to drive a steam turbine in order to generate electricity. The ORC turbine being installed from Againity uses hot water from the district heating plant’s hot water system instead to generate power.

The ORC turbine is the third installation of a power turbine within Solör Bioenergi’s district heating operations. The first ORC turbine was installed two years ago at Solör Bioenergi’s district heating plant in Hörby, southern Sweden. The second ORC installation is also underway, at a district heat plant in Vilhelmina in northern Sweden.

Generating electricity for self-consumption is climate-friendly in at least two ways; we relieve the grid in the place we operate and thus benefit the general electrification of society. In addition, we buy less electricity than before, which is a clear energy efficiency improvement, remarked Anders Pettersson, CEO of Solör Bioenergi Fjärrvärme AB.

Read the article on Bioenergy Internationals website>>

Perstorp heating plant, Sweden

Background:

Perstorp Fjärrvärme AB was founded in 1980 and is today jointly owned by Perstorp Municipality and E.ON. The heating plant has a 12 MW hot water boiler from Jernforsen where wood waste from the production of pallets and residual products from the forest is used as fuel. To increase local electricity production in an area that today suffers from a lack of power, Perstorp Fjärrvärme AB chose to collaborate with Againity and invest in an ORC turbine.

Our solution:

Againity delivered an automated ORC system with a maximum capacity of 315 kW electricity production. The ORC system enables electricity production from the boiler’s hot water. In total, the system is expected to produce 1.35 GWh of electricity annually, corresponding to annual emission savings of 1,215 CO2 equivalents when substituting coal-based electricity. Perstorp Fjärrvärme AB has chosen to sign a service agreement with Againity to ensure a long service life and minimal maintenance.


Owner: Perstorp Fjärrvärme AB
Location: Perstorp, Sweden
Existing heat plant: 12 MW hot water boiler
Fuel: Wood chips
Heat generation: 37 GWh/year
Temperature boiler circuit: 132°C
Return temperature district heating: 54 °C
Againity’s delivery: ORC AT200
Max capacity: 250 kW
Expected electricity generation: 1350 MWh/year

Elverum heating plant, Norway

Background:

The heating plant in Elverum is owned by Eidsiva Bioenergi, a subsidiary of the Eidsiva Group which is the third largest district heating producer in Norway. The heating plant consists of a 10 MW hot water boiler from Jernforsen which is fired with recycled wood. To increase the share of renewable energy in the electricity grid and reduce the heating plant’s costs, Eidsiva Bioenergi chose to invest in an ORC turbine from Againity.

Our solution:

Againity delivered an automated ORC system with a maximum capacity of 450 kW electricity production. The ORC system enables electricity production from the boiler’s hot water. In total, the system is expected to produce 2.1 GWh of electricity annually, corresponding to annual emission savings of 1,890 CO2 equivalents when substituting coal-based electricity. Eidsiva Bioenergi has chosen to sign a service agreement with Againity to ensure a long service life and minimal maintenance.


Owner: Eidsiva Bioenergi AS
Location: Elverum, Norway
Existing heat plant: 10 MW hot water boiler
Fuel: Recycled waste wood
Heat generation: 55 GWh/year
Temperature boiler circuit: 160°C
Return temperature district heating: 62 °C
Againity’s delivery: ORC AT400
Max capacity: 450 kW
Expected electricity generation: 2100 MWh/year