Introducing “Frigg”: A Groundbreaking Heat Pump Revolutionizing Waste Heat Recovery
Three years ago, we embarked on a journey together with Felleskjøpet with the ambition to reduce waste heat from their feed factory in Trondheim using a unique heat pump technology. The result was the heat pump “Frigg,” which is operated and maintained by the team at Aneo Industry.
– The main goal of the collaboration with Aneo Industry was to develop a heat pump that used the waste heat from cooling pellets and reused it to create fresh process steam. I´m not usually one to brag but this has truly been a success, says Vebjørn Nilsen, Technical Director at Felleskjøpet Agri.
The waste heat that previously evaporated from the factory is now transformed into valuable energy by the heat pump “Frigg.” Thus, Felleskjøpet positions itself as the first in the world to use such sustainable technology – a historic event.
– This is a fairly typical factory we see in many places in Europe with waste heat around 30-40 degrees, which is too low to be utilized. But if we increase the temperature to 100-150 degrees and deliver it back as process steam, we can replace large amounts of fossil energy with renewable energy from “Frigg”, says Michael Bantle, CEO of Aneo Industry.
– Without Felleskjøpet’s willingness and effort to pilot an industrial large-scale heat pump, it would not have been possible to make progress with such green technologies. A big thank you to the entire project group and suppliers who made this possible, he adds.
How it Works – A short summary
The initiative will help cut thermal energy consumption for the production line by over 65 percent and save 5 GWh per year. It is not just one measure that contributes to this; several innovative systems are installed:
- Heat recovery units that utilize latent heat
- Two types of heat pump technologies deliver process steam
- System integration recovers around 60-70 percent of the waste heat and returns it as process heat
Setting the Standard for New Waste Heat Projects
– So far, we´ve had a productive and positive collaboration, and we´re certain the continuation is going to be just as successful. The heat pump will be here for at least 20 years and produce steam for the factory. We plan for it to be here for a long time, and Aneo Industry will both operate and maintain it to ensure quality and develop the technology, says Vebjørn.
Without Felleskjøpet’s willingness and effort to pilot an industrial large-scale heat pump, it would not have been possible to make progress with such green technologies.
The waste heat project has been a significant contribution to the energy transition we as a society will go through in the coming decades.
– This opens up allot of opportunity for a number of waste heat projects in the future. We are looking at the possibility of using the technology for drying grain, quality assurance of other raw materials, and transferring both technology and experience to other industries with thermal energy needs, says Vebjørn.
Heat Pump Award 2024 Goes to Frigg
In March, Felleskjøpet Agri received the Norwegian Heat Pump Award 2024 for larger installations. We at Aneo, together with Felleskjøpet, are proud to be behind the innovative solution, “Frigg”.
Rolf Iver Mytting Hagemoen, Managing Director of the Norwegian Heat Pump Association, says the following about the project:
– The need for industrial heat pumps that can deliver high temperatures is great now that the industry is phasing out fossil energy. Therefore, we want to highlight projects that lead the way and invest.
– We at Aneo look forward to continuing the good cooperation with the team at Felleskjøpet Skansen, says Operations Manager Christian Schlemminger.