Project description
Innovative technology for low-grade waste heat recovery
We currently waste approximately 70 % of all produced energy as heat, affecting the carbon footprint, operational costs, and the environment. However, waste heat recovery systems are not feasible at temperatures below 90 °C. The EIC-funded ZiGrid project strives to generate electricity from heat flows as low as 60-90 °C. The technology uses a unique volumetric solution and a 25 kW power module, facilitating efficient recovery of low-grade waste heat. Power modules can be interconnected to generate electricity and integrated with an IoT platform that offers users valuable business insights. ZiGrid is particularly well-suited for the power and processing industries. The ZIGRID-as-a-Service business model aims to mitigate the user’s investment risk and achieve profitable operations as early as 2028.
Objective
While our planet face huge challenges to meet fossil free energy supply, we waste 70% of all produced energy as heat which not only has a direct impact on the carbon footprint and costs of operation in energy intensive industries, but also on thermal pollution to the local environment. The waste heat recovery systems that make up a $55.2B market are not economically viable <90C°. This is the gap ZIGRID aims to fill with a patented unique volumetric solution that can produce electricity from heat flows as low as 90-60C°. At the heart of our technology is the 25 kW power module with a unique and robust thermodynamic cycle, insensitive to variations in the energy flow, that enables the most efficient low-grade waste heat recovery to date producing as a little as 4,3 grCO2/kWh. Power modules are connected to each other to produce electricity in cascading steps and connected to an IoT platform which allows the user to gain access to 360° business insights on electricity production.
Together these features make ZIGRID ideal to produce electricity in power and processing industries. The ZIGRID-as-a-Service business model aims to de-risk the investment for the user by monetizing customer savings on (i) power consumption (ii) CO2 emission tariffs (iii) grid tariffs and (iv) avoided cooling costs while maintaining product ownership with ZIGRID thus avoiding customer decision inertia and enable the direct sales of ZIGRID power modules and reach profitable operations as early as 2028. We are requesting €2.5M in grant funding and €9M in equity from the EIC in order to test the different size configurations of the power module, its functionalities in real environments with end users from the hydrogen and paper and pulp industries, enhance our IP protection. Funding from the EIC will allow us to address the recovery of 37,000 TWh of low grade waste heat and thus the saving of 40 tons of CO2/year/~150 MWh of electricity produced, a tangible investment opportunity.
Fields of science
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesinternetinternet of things
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencesplanets
- social scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managementbusiness models
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollution
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-EIC-ACC-BF - HORIZON EIC Accelerator Blended FinanceCoordinator
713 30 NORA
Sweden
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.