Siemens, TC Energy in Waste-Heat-to-Power Project

Houston-based Siemens Energy said February 12 it had entered into an agreement with Canada’s TC Energy to build a first-of-its-kind waste-heat-to-power facility in Alberta using supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO₂).

The facility will capture waste heat from a gas-fired turbine operating at a TC Energy compressor station and convert it into emissions-free power. The electricity produced will be put back into the Alberta power grid, resulting in estimated greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions of 44,000 metric tons/year.

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Siemens Energy will build, own and operate the facility, with the option for ownership to be transferred back to TC Energy at a later date. It is expected to be commissioned towards the end of 2022.

The facility is built around a patented heat recovery process that uses sCO₂ as the working fluid to convert waste heat into power. Because of its properties, sCO₂ can interact more directly with the heat source than water/steam, eliminating the need for a secondary thermal loop, typically required in traditional waste heat recovery systems. 

By deploying sCO₂-based waste heat recovery solutions, midstream operators can realize greater value than traditional alternatives, including a 25-40% smaller footprint than steam-based systems, a 10% increase in compressor station efficiency and the ability to produce clean, emissions-free electricity.

Although Siemens Energy did not reveal the capital cost of the pilot project – which could generate enough electricity to power more than 10,000 homes – it did say it was supported by C$8 (US$6.3)mn in funding from Emissions Reduction Alberta’s Industrial Efficiency Challenge. According to a post on Emissions Reduction Alberta’s web site, the project is valued at C$45.6mn.

TC Energy is evaluating other potential compressor station sites to deploy the technology, with the opportunity to generate 300 MW of emissions-free power.