Small-scale ORC supplier ElectaTherm exceeds one million hours of cumulative fleet runtime
ElectraTherm Green Machine for geothermal site in Romania (source: ElectraTherm)
Alexander Richter
8 Nov 2018
U.S.-based ElectraTherm, a supplier of smaller-scale low temperature heat power generators, has announced a cumulative runtime of its fleet for one million hours.
In a release late last month ElectraTherm, a technology company providing distributed, waste heat to power (WHP) generation machines, surpassed one million hours of cumulative fleet runtime. ElectraTherm’s power generation fleet spans the globe with Power+ Generators in 10 countries focused on creating clean energy from a variety of low temperature heat streams. Applications range from internal combustion engine cooling, to combined heat and power systems, micro geothermal, biomass, and more.
ElectraTherm utilizes ORC and proprietary technologies to generate power from low temperature heat streams. Hot water is the fuel that drives an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) to create renewable energy that is fuel free and emission free.
ElectraTherm’s years of experience and continued focus on advancing WHP technology are further demonstrated with a $1.8 million US Department of Energy cooperation agreement to advance the combined heat and power market. Development of increased input temperatures to the ORC and also increased condensing temperatures will provide beneficial use of the thermal from the ORC after power production. As a result, the Power+ Generator will provide two value streams on CHP applications: kW’s from waste heat and useful thermal energy for building thermal demands.
“ElectraTherm continues to push on the growing waste heat to power market globally and our proven fleet experience is what sets us apart from others in this space,” said John Fox, ElectraTherm’s Managing Director. “We are very proud to be part of the global BITZER network and are really focusing on how to expand market acceptance for WHP. It’s an exciting time for ORC technology and small-scale waste heat to power generation.”
ElectraTherm has supplied its Power+ Generator to Japan, Nevada and Romania.
In Japan, the company installed its Power+Generator 4400 (up to 65 kW) in the city of Beppu, where it runs off low temperature geothermal steam from a small district heating system. As the Power+ generates power, it also provides cooling with zero environmental impact or imposition on the onsen’s primary function as a community resource. The power generated is sold to the local utility at an attractive feed-in-tariff rate for renewables.
ElectraTherm utilizes Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) and proprietary technologies to generate up to 110kWe of electricity from low temperature water ranging from 77-122°C. At this site, the onsen provides varying flows of geothermal steam at approximately 110°C. Unlike other renewable sources, geothermal heat is baseload, providing a continuous hot water flow with power generation capabilities 24/7. Hot geothermal water is the fuel used to create a high pressure vapor that expands through ElectraTherm’s patented twin screw power block, spinning an electric generator to produce clean electricity while simultaneously cooling the water up to 20°C.
In Nevada, ElectraTherm has installed a unit with a capacity of 75 kW and in Romania a smaller one with a capacity of 50 kW.
