The HEINEKEN Group, through its subsidiary Central de Cervejas e Bebidas, has signed an agreement with Rondo Energy and EDP for the construction of a 100 MWh heat storage facility at its brewery and malting plant in Lisbon. This project will see the installation of one of the world’s largest heat batteries in the beverage production sector. The aim is to supply emission-free steam, generated from renewable energy, to technological processes. This is a long-term investment, which still requires standard administrative and regulatory approvals.
The solution is based on Rondo heat battery technology, which stores electricity from renewable energy sources in the form of high-temperature heat in refractory materials. The system then supplies process steam on demand without burning fossil fuels.
As part of the project, EDP will install a 7 MWp photovoltaic system on the plant’s premises to directly power the heat storage facility.
Additionally, the system will utilise renewable energy sourced from the grid, underpinned by a long-term PPA agreement with a volume of 25 GWh per year. This will facilitate flexible balancing of supplies and maximisation of the share of green energy in meeting the plant’s demand.
According to EDP, the project marks Portugal’s inaugural Heat Purchase Agreement (HPA) underpinned by a renewable energy installation and energy storage facility situated directly at an industrial consumer’s location.
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Miguel Stilwell d’Andrade, CEO of EDP, has stated that the implementation of the world’s largest heat battery in the beverage sector, integrated with a brewery and powered by solar panels with a green PPA, is a demonstration of what can be achieved when we are willing to challenge conventional boundaries.
From HEINEKEN’s perspective, the ability to reduce CO₂ emissions without interfering with existing production processes is of the utmost importance. The steam supplied by the heat battery is technologically equivalent to that produced in gas boilers, reducing natural gas consumption and avoiding emissions estimated at around 6,600 tonnes of CO₂ per year.
Photo credit: Rondo
This project is instrumental in helping us reduce our reliance on traditional energy sources. Additionally, it showcases how practical innovations and robust partnerships can lead to tangible enhancements throughout the entire supply chain. This is according to Magne Setnes, the Chief Supply Chain Officer at HEINEKEN.
For Rondo Energy, this marks the inaugural deployment of heat battery technology on the Iberian Peninsula. ‘The Iberian Peninsula has the potential to become a low-carbon, low-cost industrial base for Europe. We are pleased to be able to implement our first Rondo heat battery in the region and support HEINEKEN in achieving its goals,’ says Eric Trusiewicz, CEO of Rondo Energy. This project serves as a model for replication in other industries with high demand for steam and process heat, including the food, chemical, paper, and pharmaceutical industries.
The investment is financially supported by the European Investment Bank and Breakthrough Energy Catalyst. ‘Increasing the competitiveness and decarbonisation of European industry through affordable renewable energy is a key priority for the EIB Group. This project is an excellent example of the type of public-private partnership that we are keen to support in the future,’ Karl Nehammer, Vice-President of the EIB, made the aforementioned statement. Meanwhile, Mario Fernandez of Breakthrough Energy Catalyst emphasised the significance of heat storage technology in ensuring energy security and 24/7 decarbonised industrial production.
