Feasibility Study on Decentralised Heat Recovery

Project Information

DeReco

Grant agreement ID: 651441

DOI

10.3030/651441

Project closed

EC signature date 26 September 2014

Start date 1 October 2014

End date 28 February 2015

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

EN3 GMBH
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - DeReco (Feasibility Study on Decentralised Heat Recovery)

Reporting period: 2014-10-01 to 2015-02-28

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

More than 50 % of the primary energy used in industrial plants, processes and engines worldwide is wasted as residual heat or waste heat. EN3 GmbH, a young company from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany, develops small scale Waste Heat Recovery (WHR) systems generating electricity from waste heat.
Since WHR systems are independent of a particular heat source they address a wide range of applications.
The objective of this feasibility study was to analyze and evaluate the markets including their technical and commercial requirements and competing technologies, leading to an elaborated business plan showing best entry market in Europe. Based on interviews and discussions with associations, industry partners and experts from universities as well as an intensive literature and internet search EN3 has evaluated 7 target markets.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The following markets were investigated and are most attractive according to the findings of EN3’s feasibility study:
Internal Combustion (IC) Engines: Current forecasts assume a worldwide production of 237 million combustion engines in 2013. About 55 to 65% of the fuel’s energy in ICs is liberated as waste heat. EN3 identified stationary IC engines with focus on “Green CHPs” as the most promising entry market.
Industrial Waste Heat Recovery: Industrial waste heat is unused process energy released by dryers, kilns, furnaces, chemical reactors etc. The use of WHR systems could replace appr. 5 GW of conventional power plants in Germany.
Solid Biomass-To-Energy: Small scale solid biomass cogeneration plants can provide heat and electricity for the decentralized energy supply. According to the German Renewables Energy Agency there is a potential of 17 878 PJ of Energy in Europe, which may translate to as much as € 5.6 billion in yearly revenue.
Concentrated Solar Power Plants (CSP): According to the Swiss private bank Sarasin, an accumulated overall performance ratio 28 GW of Concentrated Solar Thermal Power Plants (CSP) might be installed until 2020. This corresponds to a market volume of € 35 billion.
Geothermal Electricity Generation: According to the US consultancy Pike Research, a quite conservative assessment estimates an increase from currently 10.7 GW in 2011 to 14.3 GW by 2020 assuming conventional technology as available today. This corresponds to a total market volume of € 4.1 billion.

Results: Stationary IC market and especially Green CHPs show excellent conditions in all relevant areas to be considered to a successful market entry. It generates an attractive Return On Investment (ROI) for investors, especially if the compensation for electricity fed into the grid stays stable. The requirements in terms of size, weight and price are achievable by EN3 in a short term and allow using standard components. Hence, the time to market is short.
The study showed that there is a great market potential in the European markets, especially in Denmark, Italy, France and the UK. We assume that 15 % of the total 13 800 biogas plants in Europe could be retrofitted by WHR systems. It takes the first place in EN3’s market entry evaluation.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

As a result of the findings, EN3 will focus its activities on electrical power generation from waste heat from IC engines, starting with stationary (Green CHPs) and followed by mobile applications (commercial vehicle). Most European countries have introduced support schemes to facilitate the energy transition to renewable energy and CHP systems. Due to attractive market conditions especially Green CHPs in about 13 800 biogas installations in Europe show a huge potential for upgrading and improving their economic and energy efficiency. In the mobile area EN3 is targeting license revenues and access to cheap components. In the consequence EN3 has adapted its business plan according the detected findings. First activities in the direction of Green CHPs and automotive have started.

The company intends to collect the first market experience in its home market to secure a quick response to its customer and to optimize the technology. Therefore, EN3 plans a first small series of five pilot plants by the end of 2015. They will be part of the Horizon 2020 Phase 2 application. EN3 plans to access the German market in 2016 and will launch international activities by 2017.Focus areas will be the UK, France, Italy and Denmark

A new small scale Waste Heat Recovery (WHR) systems generating electricity from waste heat.