Wasabi Energy Soaks into Japanese Hot Spring Power Generation Potential (Proactive Investors - Australia)
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| Matsunoyama Hot Springs (Courtesy Tokamachi City Tourist Association) |
The unit, which incorporates next-generation micro-turbine technology, was recently installed at the Matsunoyama Onsen hot spring at Tokamachi, Niigata in Japan.
Power produced by the unit will be used by the local area in the first-ever operation of a binary power generation unit using thermal energy from hot springs at temperatures below 100 degrees Celsius.
The unit will now undergo extended testing and commissioning to its performance. A second unit will undergo testing following installation to optimise performance of the Kalina Cycle system to ensure power generation is maximised during fluctuation.
Extensive geothermal manifestations can be found throughout Japan and 16 geothermal plants producing 536 megawatts, or 5% of the world’s installed geothermal capacity, are currently operating.
Japan also has tens of thousands of hot springs that while more commonly serving in medicinal or recreational role, has the potential to generate power through the use of micro-scale power generation plants to recover thermal energy.
Based on estimates by Wasabi and Japan’s GERD, the existing Japanese hot spring market could potentially sustain more than 14,000 Kalina Cycle EcoGen units.
Impetus for this could come from Japan’s move away from nuclear power to other energy sources such as natural gas, coal and renewable energy.
Already Japan has stepped up imports of both liquefied natural gas and coal with LNG volumes rising by 28.2% in January this year to 8.15 million tonnes over the previous year while thermal coal volumes were up 7.9% to 10.03 million tonnes.
The Kalina Cycle EcoGen unit was designed by Wasabi Energy’s Recurrent Engineering subsidiary specifically for low temperature applications in the Japanese hot spring market.
The units are also suitable for generating power from co-produced fluids during oil production as well as broader geothermal markets.
The unit will now undergo extended testing and commissioning to its performance. A second unit will undergo testing following installation to optimise performance of the Kalina Cycle system to ensure power generation is maximised during fluctuation.
Extensive geothermal manifestations can be found throughout Japan and 16 geothermal plants producing 536 megawatts, or 5% of the world’s installed geothermal capacity, are currently operating.
Japan also has tens of thousands of hot springs that while more commonly serving in medicinal or recreational role, has the potential to generate power through the use of micro-scale power generation plants to recover thermal energy.
Based on estimates by Wasabi and Japan’s GERD, the existing Japanese hot spring market could potentially sustain more than 14,000 Kalina Cycle EcoGen units.
Impetus for this could come from Japan’s move away from nuclear power to other energy sources such as natural gas, coal and renewable energy.
Already Japan has stepped up imports of both liquefied natural gas and coal with LNG volumes rising by 28.2% in January this year to 8.15 million tonnes over the previous year while thermal coal volumes were up 7.9% to 10.03 million tonnes.
The Kalina Cycle EcoGen unit was designed by Wasabi Energy’s Recurrent Engineering subsidiary specifically for low temperature applications in the Japanese hot spring market.
The units are also suitable for generating power from co-produced fluids during oil production as well as broader geothermal markets.