NEWS > Clean Power Trial
Published: Friday, 12 Nov, 2010
Work has started on a unique new low carbon technology that generates electricity using waste heat from industrial sites in North East England. The DRD Power project will be demonstrated at the Huntsman Pigments site at Greatham, Hartlepool in North East England using hot water from the plant to generate up to 200kW electricity, saving between 600 and 750 tonnes of CO2 each year.
Work has started on a unique new low carbon technology that generates electricity using waste heat from industrial sites in North East England. The DRD Power project will be demonstrated at the Huntsman Pigments site at Greatham, Hartlepool in North East England using hot water from the plant to generate up to 200kW electricity, saving between 600 and 750 tonnes of CO2 each year. According to Stuart Johnson, Site Development Manager at Huntsman at the 09 November 2010 launch of the project, the firm was very pleased to host the trial of this cutting edge technology on its site because it demonstrates a continuing commitment to develop sustainable, energy efficient manufacturing and to reducing Huntsman's impact on the environment.
The Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) unit will use waste water from the plant to heat a fluid with a lower boiling point, and the resulting pressure then drives a generator. The unit is capable of recovering the vast quantities of low grade heat (between 90-130°C) generated by the process industries which is currently emitted to the atmosphere. This GBP1m project is due to be operational by March 2011 and has received GBP248,000 investment from One North East through the Tees Valley Industrial Programme, which is helping to accelerate industrial transition in the area and help the region to seize new and emerging opportunities in low carbon and advanced manufacturing. This investment follows a grant of GBP250,000 from the Carbon Trust to DRD towards the development and demonstration of the technology.
As well as being used for waste heat recovery at process plants, the ORC technology could be used at a wide range of industrial sites including refineries, petrochemical complexes, steel works, cement works, paper mills and also in conjunction for use with biomass, CHP and waste to energy plants. At the launch, Ian Williams, Director of Business and Industry at One North East, said that the technology that DRD Power is developing is highly innovative, has the potential to be applied in a range of other areas and will clearly increase the efficiency of plant operations, leading to lower carbon emissions and lower energy costs. Should this pilot prove successful, it is expected that the ORC unit will be of great interest to businesses throughout the region, allowing North East England to gain a competitive advantage and to further strengthen its reputation as a centre of innovation and a leader in developing the low carbon economy.
The Tees Valley Industrial Programme (TVIP) is a GBP60m investment over the next two years from One North East and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) specifically to support the area’s industrial transition to low carbon and advanced manufacturing, which is expected to create an estimated 3,000 new jobs in the short to medium term and over 10,000 jobs in the long term. The Tees Valley Industrial Programme is supporting this project through the Low Carbon Energy Demonstration product, which is part of Solutions for Business - the Government’s package of publicly funded support products offering help to companies to start, grow and succeed. Solutions for Business makes it easier for companies to get the advice and assistance that they need.
<< Go Back
|
