Project description
Commercialising an energy-efficient industrial air compressor
Compressed air is widely used in industrial applications for instrumentation, control, hand tools and drive processes. However, an estimated 10 % of global industrial electricity is consumed to compress air. Besides that, current air compressors are only about 50 % efficient and deteriorate quickly due to loss of energy through heat generation, leakages and poor maintenance. The EU-funded Spira project has already produced a prototype air compressor with over 80 % energy efficiency. It uses water as pistons, which cools the compression process and reduces corrosion, thus maintaining the compressor’s efficiency over its lifetime. The project now aims to scale up its prototype air compressor for market readiness and conduct market research for its upgraded model.
Objective
Spira Energy develops a completely new type of air compressor that will revolutionize and dominate the market for industrial air compressors.
Context
Compressed air (CA) is a vital and versatile tool for industrial businesses. CA can be used for instrumentation, control, hand tools and to drive processes. 70% of all manufacturing facilities use some form of CA. It is estimated that 10% of global industrial electricity consumption is used to compress air.
Problem
CA is currently one of the least efficient forms of energy. At best, new air compressors achieve 50% efficiency, but they quickly deteriorate. Efficiency drops to 35% in 10 years. Energy is lost through heat generation, leaks and poor maintenance.
Our Solution
We have developed and patented Spira, a disruptive air compressor with an efficiency above 80%, which uses water as pistons. This keeps the compression process cool and reduces wear and tear, meaning high efficiency is maintained throughout the lifetime of the compressor.
Our compressor offers
• Improved energy efficiency
• Reduced maintenance costs and improved reliability
• Improved working environment
• Improved sustainability
Traction
First customer provides 150 000€ for a installation at 36kW size.
Project
We aim to use the SME instrument to help us scale up our initial prototype to commercial readiness, and to demonstrate the effectiveness of Spira to the industry. The phase I project will confirm the market interest in our product and the proposed business model, while identifying the key European markets to target when we start commercializing Spira in 2022.
Impact
The air compressor market was worth an estimated 23 billion € in 2016. Spira has the potential to reduce production costs of compressed air by 45%. This could lower equivalent CO2 emissions in Europe by 10 million tons every year. Spira provides a new disruptive technology with superior competitive advantages that could boost jobs, growth and prosperity in Europe.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology environmental engineering ecosystem-based management climatic change mitigation
- social sciences economics and business business and management business models
You need to log in or register to use this function
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
H2020-EU.2.3. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme -
H2020-EU.3. - PRIORITY 'Societal challenges
See all projects funded under this programme -
H2020-EU.2.1. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
412 92 Gothenburg
Sweden
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.