The collaboration comes after Opcon further developed its Opcon Powerbox technology to enable electricity to be generated from steam. This opens the door to a series of new applications within the energy sector, process industry and shipping. An installation is planned for March 2010 on a boiler generating 12-14 bar pressure at a small heating plant operated by Skelleftea Kraft.
Rolf Hasselstrom, president and CEO of Opcon, said: “There are several interesting opportunities for our technology in the power industry. Co-operation with Skelleftea Kraft, who are themselves investing significant amounts so that we can evaluate this technology together in a new application, shows that Skelleftea Kraft has high ambitions concerning opportunities for cost-efficient production of electricity at smaller plants.
“Along with support from the Swedish Energy Agency, this gives an indication that we are not alone in seeing considerable economic potential in these applications.”
According to official statistics from the Swedish District Heating Association, there are 66 district heating networks with incineration plants, that are not combined heat and power plants, in the 21-80GWh heating range (total of around 2.35TWh) and 40 smaller networks in the 11-20GWh heating range (total around 0.65TWh).
