Turning waste heat into energy. Developed by: Againity

Turning low grade waste heat into electricity

Each and every day in locations around the globe, wasted energy pours into the environment. In power plants, up to 65 percent of all energy is expelled as waste heat. In industrial applications, the volumes are even higher. Againity (again + infinity) turns waste heat into electricity, creating an infinite loop that converts low-grade heat into electricity. In the process, emissions are reduced. And less fuel is required.

How does it work? Againity’s system is pre-fabricated. And can be installed through a simple pipe connection to a heat source. A cable connects to the power grid. The system is fully automated and can be monitored remotely. Heat sources can be anything from incinerated waste, wood chips or biogas, to waste heat from gas turbines, diesel generators or other industrial processes. The systems are based on the ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) and can utilize heat as low as 90 degrees Celsius and generate power from 20 kW and up.

Thanks to a proprietary patent-pending turbine, the system can use even low temperature heat and still have a short payback time. One of Againity’s main target segments is electricity from burning household waste in African countries. In developing markets, the environmental benefits are even greater, as materials are prevented from ending up in landfills. 

This solution is a green reliable alternative to fossil fuels commonly used in developing countries. In one year, a single installation of a 1 000 kW ORC system generates 8 000 MWh. When substituting electricity produced from coal, this equals 8 000 tonnes of CO2 saved. As Againity grows on the global market, the environmental benefits promise to expand. If Againity’s innovation, or others like it, penetrates 10 percent of the target market by 2028, the global greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced by 24 million tons of CO2e annually.

Againity focuses on four main market segments. The one expanding the most at the moment is heating plants in northern Europe that produce district heating and can easily be upgraded to combined heat and power plants with Againity’s ORC turbines. Another important segment is household waste, primarily in African countries, where Againity’s containerized waste-to-energy plants have attracted much attention. Other important market segments are waste heat from power plants with gas turbines or diesel generators, and industrial waste heat.

David Frykerås is the founder and manager of Againity and has an international network within the energy industry, with an emphasis on the African market. Co-founder Joakim Wren is a PhD and Associate Professor of Applied Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics.