Biomass & Solar Heating plant

In an active effort to make heating cheaper and more environmentally sustainable, Brønderslev Forsyning A/S in the northern part of Denmark, has created a new ambitious energy project to replace natural gas withrenewable energy. For the first time in the world, a biomass-based organic ranking cycle plant has been developed in combination with a solar power plant.

The groundbreaking energy project puts Brønderslev in the lead when it comes to green and independent energy through a biomass-based combined heat and power plant, in conjunction with an advanced solar power plant.

The plant in Brønderslev is the first cogeneration plant in the world that combines concentrated solar heat (CSP) and wood chips, and at the same time via an Organic Ranking Cycle (ORC) plant converts energy to both electricity and district heating. By combining different technologies, energy efficiency becomes so effective that the plant sets a record in energy efficiency for this type of work in Denmark – and possibly the world.

The plant

Heat production is mainly based on wood chips and solar heat supplemented with natural gas in especially cold periods. A power boiler will also continue to supply clean heat during periods with wind power surpluses.

The solar thermal plant in Brønderslev is based on concentrated solar energy technology and consists of 40 rows of 125 meter parabolic troughs, giving a total illumination area of 26,929 m2.

Advanced technology

The mirrors on the parabolic troughs collect the sun rays, and reflect them in the 5 km receiver tube. The receiver tube is encircled by a vacuum glass tube, and inside the tube a thermal oil runs which is heated by the sun to a temperature up to 330ºC. The high temperature makes the electric turbine produce electricity, and the applied technological flexibility also allows the production of lower temperatures for district heating.

The solar heating system may switch between supplying combined electricity and district heating through the ORC plant, or supplying district heating exclusively. To get the most of the energy, electricity is produced depending on the market development, and the waste heat is utilised for district heating.

Biomass & Solar Heating plant

In an active effort to make heating cheaper and more environmentally sustainable, Brønderslev Forsyning A/S in the northern part of Denmark, has created a new ambitious energy project to replace natural gas withrenewable energy. For the first time in the world, a biomass-based organic ranking cycle plant has been developed in combination with a solar power plant.

The groundbreaking energy project puts Brønderslev in the lead when it comes to green and independent energy through a biomass-based combined heat and power plant, in conjunction with an advanced solar power plant.

The plant in Brønderslev is the first cogeneration plant in the world that combines concentrated solar heat (CSP) and wood chips, and at the same time via an Organic Ranking Cycle (ORC) plant converts energy to both electricity and district heating. By combining different technologies, energy efficiency becomes so effective that the plant sets a record in energy efficiency for this type of work in Denmark – and possibly the world.

The plant

Heat production is mainly based on wood chips and solar heat supplemented with natural gas in especially cold periods. A power boiler will also continue to supply clean heat during periods with wind power surpluses.

The solar thermal plant in Brønderslev is based on concentrated solar energy technology and consists of 40 rows of 125 meter parabolic troughs, giving a total illumination area of 26,929 m2.

Advanced technology

The mirrors on the parabolic troughs collect the sun rays, and reflect them in the 5 km receiver tube. The receiver tube is encircled by a vacuum glass tube, and inside the tube a thermal oil runs which is heated by the sun to a temperature up to 330ºC. The high temperature makes the electric turbine produce electricity, and the applied technological flexibility also allows the production of lower temperatures for district heating.

The solar heating system may switch between supplying combined electricity and district heating through the ORC plant, or supplying district heating exclusively. To get the most of the energy, electricity is produced depending on the market development, and the waste heat is utilised for district heating.