GEA is investing €12 million in the UK-based company Caldera, which has developed innovative electric storage boilers capable of storing electricity as heat for on-demand use. Designed for a wide range of applications, this technology plays a crucial role in GEA’s holistic approach to decarbonizing process heat demand between 100 and 200°C—temperatures commonly required in industrial operations.
Decarbonization of industrial process heat: GEA heat pumps and Caldera Storage Boilers are complementing each other
GEA combines its process and heating expertise to develop systems to reduce energy consumption, reuse energy and upcycle waste heat streams in customer sites. Heat pumps are a key enabler for the decarbonization of process heating in industries such as food manufacturing, dairy production, breweries, distilleries and the pharmaceutical sector.
By combining GEA’s heating solutions with Caldera’s innovative storage boilers, it is possible to offer an affordable and reliable way of providing industrial customers with all-electric – and therefore low-carbon – heat. A combined system joins the benefits of a highly efficient heat pump with the flexibility and fast response time of a storage boiler. This allows for the efficient decarbonization of steam networks with varying demand profiles that are typical across a broad range of industries.
“We are seeing major benefits in electrification and using thermal storage to deal with supply and demand volatility in generating heat throughout our end-markets. At GEA, we are committed to leading this transition. That’s why we have invested into Caldera,” says Kai Becker, CEO of GEA’s Heating & Refrigeration Technologies Division. Becker continues: “Caldera’s storage boiler is a milestone. It bridges the gap between variable renewable electricity generation and industrial process heat demand and offers a scalable, economically viable alternative to fossil fuel boilers.” Kai Becker concludes: “Caldera storage boilers in combination with GEA heat pumps are ideally suited to decarbonize fluctuating industrial heat demand between 100 and 200°C. With GEA’s global reach, process and industrial heating expertise, we can accelerate the deployment of such complementary solutions to industries worldwide.”
“The investment from GEA is a game-changing opportunity for our company and a strong endorsement of our technology,” says James Macnaghten, CEO of Caldera. “Having just started to sign early orders we know that we are on the right track. I believe that working with GEA and especially leveraging GEA’s vast experience will help deploy our Storage Boilers into even more companies such as breweries, distilleries, the dairy industry as well as the food and pharmaceutical industries, with the ultimate goal of reducing carbon emissions for the benefit of all,” Macnaghten concludes.
