Dec 12 2007
A considerable reduction in carbon dioxide in the world's industrial and emerging economies is vital if global warming is to be counteracted. The problem can be solved by energy savings on the one hand and energy efficiency on the other. The German corporation Aqua Society has now developed a process which sustainably generates CO2-free electricity from waste heat at temperatures from 80 degrees Celsius, making a decisive contribution to achieving climate targets.
Electricity Without Carbon Dioxide From Low-Temperature Heat
The process uses a special low-pressure expansion unit for electricity generation. The energy module can be used wherever continuous waste heat is produced at above 80 degrees Celsius, either by conventional power generation or industrial production. Until now this heat has normally been allowed to escape unused.
In Europe alone industrial processes generate over 140 terawatt hours of waste heat. Converting 12% of this energy into electricity would generate over 16,800 megawatt hours of CO2-free power, corresponding to the annual volume of four conventional power station chains with a combined output of 2,100 MW. In Europe alone Aqua Society's technology could cut 14.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide by exploiting industrial waste heat.
Apart from industrial processes, a further possible application of CO2-free power generation is waste heat from biogas power stations, which also offer unused waste heat potential. Aqua Society's organic Rankine cycle process indicates that efficient power generation is possible at low temperatures from 80 degrees Celsius.