In September 2018, TVP installed a new solar plant in the United Arab Emirates which provides industrial process heat. The first 3-month results show that the heat provided by the TVP plant is nearly 50% less expensive than burning diesel.
Ocean Rubber Factory (ORF) and TVP Solar have announced the 3-month results of the UAE’s first solar thermal deployment applied to industrial process heat. Commissioned at ORF’s Ras Al Khaimah factory in September 2018, the solar thermal plant supplies a 180°C directly to the rubber manufacturing machinery. Even in the winter months, the TVP solar plant proved an average daily efficiency of 37% supplying 180°C, producing an average 1.9 kWhth/m²/day.
The solar thermal plant occupies 500 m², sized to match the peak heat demand of the ORF machinery, and was installed within 5 weeks. This plant has been supplying 180°C consistently for 6 hours per day in wintertime daylight hours without any cleaning; this substantiates TVP’s unique claim of high performance, even in desert environments. Since commissioning it operates continuously, automatically and unattended.
Solar thermal beats diesel
The results of the TVP plant are impressive: “Our Ras Al Khaimah facility runs 22 hours per day at 180°C, burning diesel. This costs us 0.53 USD/litre, nearly 50% more expensive than the solar thermal supply,” states Mr. Faisal Noordeen, MD of ORF. “This winter, the TVP solar field is providing 27% of the average daily energy. Together we expect this to go up to 40% in the desert summer months.” Mr. Noordeen further commented that, “with this project, ORF demonstrates its commitment to sustainability, while saving OPEX, and showing our engagement to adopt impactful innovations.”
TVP CEO, Mr. Piero Abbate, is emphatic: “solar thermal kills diesel! TVP cost of heat is below 0.040 USD/kWhth today. Tomorrow we’ll be at two cents.” He goes on to explain that, “all UAE industrial players using fossil fuels can save money, cut CO2, and in particular can now via TVP qualify for sustainability targets required by the imminent Expo2020 in Dubai.”
TVP CEO, Mr. Piero Abbate, is emphatic: “solar thermal kills diesel! TVP cost of heat is below 0.040 USD/kWhth today. Tomorrow we’ll be at two cents.” He goes on to explain that, “all UAE industrial players using fossil fuels can save money, cut CO2, and in particular can now via TVP qualify for sustainability targets required by the imminent Expo2020 in Dubai.”
(Press release)
Picture: ORF solar plant
Picture: ORF solar plant
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