Episode 38 | Warm Wattage | Climeon
I found out about Climeon when one of their team members searched me. It turns out this Swedish energy company is leading the way in warm-water energy technology.
They define "warm water" as anything 70-120 degrees Celsius. At these temperatures, sometimes below boiling, a tremendous amount of energy potential can be harnessed. Climeon has focused their product, their 150-kW Heat Power Unit, on a few sectors: geothermal, manufacturing (steelmaking), and shipping.
In fact, last episode's guest name-checked Climeon for their groundbreaking technology in the geothermal sector. As you can see in the map to the right, a considerable amount of geothermal potential could be opened up when lower temperatures can be used for this energy.
Steelmaking is a no-brainer. Hot-rolled steel can shine for days, and water used in the process can be piped to a Climeon system for energy production. As much as 40% of the steel industry's costs are electricity. Though Climeon's technology can certainly help the bottom line, they say their technology reduces energy consumption, and by extension CO2 usage, which is a Key Performance Indicator in the steel industry.
Climeon has also dipped their toes in the shipping and cruise line sector. Big ships have boilers on board, and Climeon's technology is small enough to fit below deck. The shipping industry's energy demands are even higher than steel-making; as much as 60% of their overhead is consumed by fuel costs. And with no alternatives to liquid fuel to power these huge vessels, Climeon's efficiency gains are tremendous.
Useful Links: