ElectraTherm Power+ Generator Commissioned in Japan on Geothermal District Heating System

RENO, NV--(Marketwired - April 14, 2016) -  ElectraTherm, a leader in distributed waste heat to power generation, commissioned the Power+ Generator™ 4400 in Beppu, Japan. This is the first Power+ Generator in the country and it utilizes geothermal heat to generate fuel-free, emission-free electricity at the site. Commissioned in March, the Power+ runs off low temperature geothermal steam from a small district heating system. The power is sold to the local utility at an attractive feed-in-tariff rate for renewables. The existing geothermal well requires the temperature of the geothermal resource to be cooled before it can be used for heating. As the Power+ generates power, it also provides the necessary cooling with zero environmental impact or imposition on the onsen's primary function as a community resource.

ElectraTherm utilizes Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) and proprietary technologies to generate up to 110kWe of electricity from low temperature water ranging from 77-122°C. At this site the onsen provides geothermal steam at 110°C. Unlike other renewable sources, geothermal heat is baseload, providing a continuous hot water flow with power generation capabilities 24/7. Instead of expensive cooling equipment to lower the resource to a suitable temperature for heating, the water runs through the Power+ Generator which simultaneously cools the water up to 20°C while producing clean electricity.

"The Power+ Generator not only generates power and profit it also solves a problem -- cooling onsen water that is otherwise too hot for human use," said Kazunori Ueda, Project Lead and Director of Sales & Marketing, Sankou Denki. "With Japan's feed-in-tariff rate for geothermal at 40 Yen/kW (~$.33/kW), we see a strong opportunity for profit at this site and approximately 40 + similar sites in the prefecture of Oita alone -- and hundreds more at other districting heating systems and onsens (hot springs) throughout Japan. The minimal impact to the property with a small footprint and quiet sound profile make this a hidden gem for the local community, serving as a resource and providing a fixed profit at a district heating system that has been in operation for many years, and will continue for many more."

ElectraTherm's Power+ Generators utilize waste heat on applications such as internal combustion engines, biomass boilers, incinerators, geothermal and also flare to power methane utilization at wastewater treatment plants and oil & gas fields. ElectraTherm's Power+ fleet of 50+ global installations has exceeded 520,000 hours of run time. A list of reference sites is currently available on the website. 

About ElectraTherm, Inc.

ElectraTherm, Inc. is a renewable energy company focused on waste heat to power headquartered in Reno, Nevada. Our machines are modular, robust power generators with an attractive return on investment. For more information on ElectraTherm and its clean energy products, please visit www.electratherm.com.