Energy Transition: Profitable and Sustainable

The TME department of the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers (KIVI) is organizing a lecture and dialogue to discuss, from a multidisciplinary approach, the role of technology in the energy transition. TME is very happy that Dr. Joachim Karthauser is willing to present this topic at March 7 in 2 presentations; one presentation highlighting the role of different technologies in the energy transition from a systems approach (published in an e-book) and subsequently a presentation describing the activities and technologies developed and implemented by Climeon AB, a Swedish clean tech company.

The speaker

Joachim Karthäuser is CTO of Climeon AB. He studied chemistry at RWTH Aachen and Göttingen University (1981-1986) and received his Ph.D. for work on combustion / atmospheric chemistry and laser spectroscopy. In 1989, he worked as expert in the secretariat of the Enquete-Commission of the German Parliament “Protecting the Earth’s Atmosphere”.

Following a post-doc period at CNRS Paris and University of Birmingham, he joined Shell Chemicals in 1989. He worked internationally in R&D (surfactants), technology (production of higher olefins) and sales of rubber / polymers. After further spells at NKT in Denmark (high voltage cables, new business development, 2000-2003) and AGA/Linde Gas in Sweden (2003-2006), he started clean-tech companies (wind power, materials, CO2 cleaning). In 2011, Karthäuser co-founded Climeon AB, a company selling modular ORC power plants, converting geothermal heat or industrial waste heat (70-120 oC) to electricity. Climeon AB is listed on Nasdaq First North Premier since 2017.

Abstract of e-book “Energy transition – profitable and sustainable”

We have to convert our energy system to non-fossil for many reasons. The risks associated with  climate change should be obvious to anybody by now. In addition, fossil resources are finite, and energy consumption is growing as developing countries aspire higher standards of living.

The challenges posed by the transition task are significant and comprise a) transport – orders of magnitude more electricity for electric cars, but also for water electrolysis for hydrogen, b) households – energy efficiency measures and provision of sustainable heating, c) industry – utilization of waste heat, circular economy thinking, replacing carbon by hydrogen in steel production, CO2 sequestration.

 Regarding energy carriers, electricity will grow at the expense of fossil sources. The greatest challenge in this field is storage. Intermittent sources such as wind and solar power are growing, but they cannot supply baseload capacity without storage. Heat power, especially based on hitherto under-utilized geothermal power, may be the joker. The presentation will cover selected topics such as hydrogen, waste heat, the need for baseload and storage in depth. Selected projects by Climeon and other ORC providers exemplify the potential of “Heat Power” as a future pillar of the energy system, based on Solar, Wind and Heat Power.

Economic analyses showing that the energy transition actually can be profitable will be discussed. The presentation is based on an e-book published by Karthäuser and Öström in 2018.

 

The company Climeon

Climeon is a public company, listed on the Stockholm Nasdaq Stock Exchange. The company is located in Stockholm, Sweden and has 70+ employees. Climeon has customers and partners all over the world and in various industries. Climeon was founded by Thomas Öström and Joachim Karthäuser in 2011.

Heat power, especially based Climeon Heat Power produces clean electricity from low-temperature heat in temperatures between 70-120 degrees Celsius and utilizes the temperature difference between hot and cold water to produce clean electricity. Low-temperature heat can primarily be found as waste heat from different industrial processes or as geothermal heat.  Climeon technology can be applied in large ships and energy intensive industries.

Audience

The seminar is aimed at besides KIVI members also representatives from industrial companies, investors and policymakers. In this occasion, national and international students from universities in The Netherlands, such as Utrecht University, Delft University and Erasmus University are also invited.

It is our pleasure to invite you to join us during this evening! Please subscribe and stay tuned as more information will be announced shortly. The seminar will be recorded and livestreamed, and will also offer digital interaction with the audience via Mentimeter software.

On behalf of the KIVI TME department Stijn Santen will be host and moderator of this seminar.

The seminar will start with coffee and tea at 19:00 hrs and will finalize with a drink starting at 21:30 hrs.

FREE CHARGE: The attendance at the seminar is free of charge for members of KIVI and students.