FutureBay & Otto Simon are IChemE Award Finalists!
Otto Simon • September 3, 2021
We are delighted to announce that FutureBay and Otto Simon are IChemE Award finalists.
FutureBay
has developed a new energy storage technology based on a novel thermal cycle that delivers energy storage, cooling, heating, and converts waste heat to electricity. By capturing, storing, and converting heat to electricity, the system allows users to shift the electrical load from peak to off-peak periods, utilising heat that is currently wasted to improve overall energy efficiency and allow the electrical demand to be managed. The technology can be applied to industrial and commercial processes, delivering significant environmental benefits to diverse industries. It can provide users with savings of up to 50% of energy consumption, 100% of energy costs, and reduces CO2 emissions by up to 60%.
The project has been shortlisted for the Energy Award and the Sustainability Award at the IChemE Global Awards 2021. The IChemE Global Awards celebrate chemical, process and biochemical engineering excellence and are widely considered as the world’s most prestigious chemical engineering awards. It is fantastic that this project has been recognised, and we are delighted to be IChemE Award finalists!
Working with Otto Simon, FutureBay built, tested, and operated a full-scale demonstration unit in Oldham which confirmed all aspects of the system’s operation. Otto Simon acted as Principal Designer for the delivery of the demonstration unit; supporting the concept development and managing the detailed design, installation and commissioning. Once the system had been built and commissioned, a number of trials were conducted which proved that the FutureBay system could capture the waste heat from the data centre and deliver 1.2MWht of cooling whilst simultaneously delivering stored electricity; reducing net electrical consumption and shifting electrical and air conditioning loads to off-peak demand.
FutureBay’s containerised system has been designed for easy installation onto existing facilities. The system has been designed with environmental, health and safety benefits in mind; using nontoxic materials, operating at low temperatures and pressures for safe and reliable operation. It provides long duration, lowest levelized cost, energy storage which can be easily and quickly deployed to sites around the world.
The novel thermal cycle displays a practical application for complex process engineering that will help to tackle the growing problems of managing energy demand and lowering carbon emissions. Energy demand is set to increase through the adoption of low carbon technologies and general load growth. With a growing dependence on intermittent renewable energy sources it is important for electricity grids to be able to manage the demand. FutureBay’s system has the potential to save energy and reduce power demand to support the grid.
Otto Simon is proud of our involvement with the development of this project. FutureBay’s novel thermal cycle delivers energy storage capabilities which can benefit a wide range of commercial and industry applications and if the FutureBay system can be widely deployed it will help to achieve the transition to a zero-carbon economy.
The IChemE Global Award winners will be presented in virtual webinars on the 5th October 10 am (Energy Award) and the 12th October 10am (Sustainability Award). Visit the IChemE website for more information and to register your attendance.
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