Global composites manufacturer Exel Composites has partnered with geothermal energy company QHeat to support long-term heat storage at the Lounavoima waste incineration plant in Salo, Finland.
The collaboration involved developing custom glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) tubes that store up to 14 GWh of thermal energy in bedrock two kilometres underground.
Previously, the plant released excess summer heat into the air. During cold winters, it relied on oil burners to meet demand, increasing emissions.
Now, stored heat can be reused in colder months, saving energy equivalent to heating 700 detached homes annually.
“60 per cent of all EU heat production comes from fossil fuels and the remaining 40 per cent is still mostly combustion,” said Erika Salmenvaara, CEO at QHeat. “In the context that half of global energy use is for heating, we see the environmental gains that electrification of heating can provide.”
While noting challenges with electrical infrastructure, Salmenvaara added, “Heat pumps deliver up to 600 per cent more energy efficiency than using electricity directly.”
Exel Composites and QHeat worked closely to tailor the GFRP tubes to demanding underground conditions, focusing on thermal insulation, mechanical strength and ease of assembly.
“Heat preservation combined with the right mechanical performance was the biggest criterion,” said Tiina Uotila, technical sales manager at Exel Composites.
The partners also developed a sustainable end-of-life plan for the tubes. “Instead of going to landfill, these pipes will be co-processed into cement,” Uotila explained.
Salmenvaara praised the collaboration: “I was impressed that Exel Composites’ head designer came on site with us in Salo… I understood its expertise, its design capabilities and the quality of its products.”
Composite tubes support deep geothermal energy storage in Finland appeared first on Energy Live News.