The hydrogen economy is coming – Aurelia Turbines is ready

The uniqueness of the gas turbines developed by Aurelia Turbines lies in their efficiency, structure and the wide range of fuels available. The road is open from Lappeenranta to the global market worth billions, and the company is now gathering resources to conquer the world.

Aurelia’s turbines are designed for small and medium-sized industrial processes. For example, they are suitable for commercial and industrial end-users who need both electricity and heat in their process, as well as those who need steam and/or cooling.

The technology is based on the company’s own innovations and the utilisation of technology developed at LUT University. The efficiency of the turbines is exceptionally high: up to 40%. This cannot be achieved by any other turbine of the same size in the world.

In addition, the turbine has a modular structure, meaning that it consists of separate, replaceable parts. Thanks to its structure, the turbine can use a wide range of liquid and gaseous fuels, including various renewable fuels. One of these fuels is hydrogen. The turbines allow the industry to cut emissions close to zero.

– We see an enormous potential in synthesis gases. A fuel cell needs completely pure hydrogen to function, whereas our turbine can utilise standard pure hydrogen, 98% of which is hydrogen and the rest methane, says Matti Malkamäki, CEO of Aurelia Turbines.

The energy produced by one A400 turbine corresponds to the energy needs of nearly 200 detached houses. The advantage of the turbines is a wider range of operation than that of a normal engine. According to Malkamäki, a normal engine can run until 25% by volume of the fuel is hydrogen – it can be mixed with the fuel in the combustion chamber. After that, there are usually difficulties.

– Our turbine works on the full scale, so the hydrogen content can fluctuate a lot without causing any problems.

Turbines manufactured by Aurelia Turbines can also be used flexibly to produce power to balance fluctuations in wind and solar energy.

–  Because the turbines are quick to start and stop, they can also be used when the wind and sun don’t provide enough electricity. Our goal is cleaner and more flexible energy production.

Enabler of the green transition

Emission targets and the goal of carbon neutrality require the utilisation of renewable energy and improved energy efficiency in industry in particular. Malkamäki points out that hydrogen has been identified as a key factor in the green transition, but the change to the hydrogen economy will not happen overnight.

–  The common understanding is that we will switch from natural gas to hydrogen all at once. But it’s not even theoretically possible in the industry, even if there is money. The gradual transition to hydrogen will open up a huge market for us. On a global scale, we are talking about a market worth billions.

–  In other words, the transition from natural gas to almost pure hydrogen is the framework within which we operate.

The innovation by Aurelia Turbines will revolutionise decentralised energy production, as gas turbines produce electricity with excellent efficiency, even in more demanding applications. According to Malkamäki, the markets in various parts of the world are very different.

–  In the United States, for example, the applications may be very different from those in the Middle East. However, the basic principle is the same: we are a producer of electricity and heat for small and medium-sized industrial companies in the move towards cleaner fuels.

The first turbines manufactured at the Lappeenranta plant have been delivered to Germany and Mexico, and the next ones are going to Taiwan and Norway.

The company is currently scaling its production to meet the demand. The product has been developed and tested for a long time, and Malkamäki is now leading the company into the next growth phase.

–  We are creating the necessary resources in order to get the machines out to the world and also to create a maintenance organisation. The future looks very good: we have a significant number of order indications and letters of intent.

 

For more information, please contact:

Aurelia Turbines Oy
Matti Malkamäki, matti.malkamaki@aureliaturbines.com , tel. +49 176 3063 8250