Paris, March 26, 2024 – CSIN‘s linear Fresnel solar thermal plant, the largest of its kind for industrial process heat, has been commissioned and inaugurated. Kyotherm financed the entire cost of the project, complementing subsidies from IDAE / ERDF.
Kyotherm, an investment company specialising in the development and structuring of low carbon heat and energy efficiency projects, is proud to have financed the solar thermal project spearheaded by CSIN, a joint venture between solar technology provider Solatom and civil works group Simetria, and located at the Heineken brewery in Quart de Poblet, Valencia, Spain.
This project uses Solatom’s linear Fresnel technology, a concentrating technology based on the use of aligned mirrors that track the sun during the course of the day. With 6,000 m² of collectors divided into 182 independent modules and a capacity of 4 MWth, it is the largest industrial installation using Fresnel technology in the world.
CSIN completed the plant in a record 8-month period, with commissioning achieved at the end of last year. The official inauguration took place at the site on 28 February 2024, with no clouds to be seen in the sky, which allowed an on-site demonstration of the success of the project. CSIN was responsible for the technological and commercial development of the project, and secured, in addition to Kyotherm’s funding, the support of European ERDF funds through subsidies provided by IDAE (the Spanish renewable energy agency).
This project is part of Heineken’s ambitious energy strategy and confirms Kyotherm’s commitment to industrial decarbonisation
The project will deliver at least 3,500 MWh of solar steam per year for Heineken’s industrial process, through a heat purchase agreement, and will cover 10% of the site’s steam consumption. The use of solar steam will avoid up to 1,300 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year for the site.
The solar plant is at the heart of Heineken’s strategy to decarbonise its sites. With the commissioning of the project, the Valencia brewery will be operating on 42% renewable energy (both thermal and electrical) by the end of 2024. Heineken Spain has already been operating on 100% renewable electricity since 2020.
Kyotherm provided third-party financing for the project. Kyotherm aims to play a key role in the energy transition and industrial decarbonisation in Europe, with a particular focus on solar thermal energy. This project is part of a portfolio of 55 projects spread over almost 170 sites in 12 countries around the world, and its commissioning will increase the Group’s operational capacity.
Miguel Frasquet, CTO of CSIN, co-founder and CEO of Solatom : “In Europe and Spain in particular, we have the technology, we have the talent, and the solar resources to lead industrial decarbonization in Europe. The Quart de Poblet solar thermal plant is an example that, furthermore, we have companies like Heineken, willing to take the first step and lead the way, and investors like Kyotherm who can accompany and support these initiatives.”
Arnaud SUSPLUGAS, Founder and CEO of Kyotherm : “Kyotherm is committed to supporting the transition to a greener economy and industrial decarbonisation. As a financial partner, we are proud to make these projects possible, and to help reduce carbon emissions from processes. We received an International Energy Agency award back in 2019 for our first solar thermal project, and this project in Valencia confirms our firm belief that solar thermal technologies can and should play a crucial role in the decarbonisation of European industries.”
About Heineken
As the world’s 2nd largest brewing conglomerate, HEINEKEN has products distributed worldwide and produces or markets 250 brands of beer and cider. Operating 186 industrial sites, including 165 breweries in 70 countries, the HEINEKEN group produces 243 million hectolitres of beverages a year, employs more than 89,000 people and has embarked on an ambitious drive to make its entire production and value chain sustainable through its Brew a Better World strategy, which is based on environmental sustainability, social sustainability and the promotion of responsible consumption. HEINEKEN España, the Group’s Spanish division with four production sites in Seville, Madrid, Valencia and Jaén, aims to spearhead this strategy, and has already been operating on 100% renewable electricity since 2020.. https://www.heinekenespana.es/home
About CSIN
CSIN is a joint venture between Indertec, a subsidiary of the Simetria group, a civil works company based in Castellon, Spain, and Solatom, supplier and developer of the linear Fresnel solar thermal technology solution.
CSIN offers a solar alternative in Spain to traditional fossil fuel-fired steam boilers. The proposed solar solution is modular, based on the use of individual solar concentration modules to generate steam, heat thermal oil or water used in industrial processes. Pasteurisation, drying, evaporation, dyeing – the modules can be integrated into any process requiring a hot fluid, and are designed to operate at temperatures of up to 300°C and 30 bar. https://www.csin.es/# https://solatom.com/ https://indertec.com/
About Kyotherm
Kyotherm is a European Energy-as-a-Service investment company and energy producer dedicated to renewable heating and energy efficiency projects, with varied technologies including solar thermal, biomass, geothermal, storage and waste heat energy as well as district heating networks and installations allowing reduced energy consumption. As of February 2024, it has financed, owns, manages, or has committed to fund a total of 55 projects, representing an aggregate capacity of 250 MW. The company is headquartered in Paris, France, and is present in 12 countries. www.kyotherm.com/en
