CASE STUDY:

THE SHIKA POWER PLANT

Bottoming cycle ORC for maximum geothermal heat power generation

  • APPLICATION

    GEOTHERMAL

  • LOCATION

    JAPAN

OUR PARTNER

Baseload Power Japan is a Japanese project developer and plant owner that focuses on harnessing geothermal resources in areas where heat temperatures are approximately 100°C. Baseload Power Japan develops, finances, constructs and operates small scale geothermal facilities in Japan.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Shika power plant is a binary power plant (150kWe) installed in connection to the 2MWe Waita geothermal power plant in the Kumamoto region. The Waita geothermal power plant is a flash system, which generates electricity using a steam turbine. After most energy is harnessed from the steam hot water remains that is re-injected back into the ground. However, it is possible to generate electricity using ORC technology from hot water after a flash system. This is called a bottoming cycle and it increases the efficiency of the power plant by using more energy before the hot water is re-injected into the ground.

The bottoming cycle power plant Shika is a collaboration between Baseload Power Japan and Furusato Power group (owner of Waita geothermal plant).

OUR SOLUTION

The power plant is compact in size and consists of an intermediate hot water circuit, one Climeon HP150 unit, a cooling circuit with dry cooling tower and a transformer.

Climeon was very involved in this project and collaborated closely with all stakeholders. Climeon provided the HP150 including commissioning and site control software.

The site began operation in April 2020.

CASE OVERVIEW

  • POWER PLANT NAME: Shika

  • LOCATION:  Oguni, Kumamoto, Japan

  • STATUS: In operation since April 2020

  • APPLICATION: Geothermal

  • CUSTOMER/END USER: Kyushu Electric

  • MODEL: Climeon HP 150

  • WATER TEMPERATURE IN/OUT: ~115°C

  • COOLING AGENT: Dry cooling towers

  • GENERATOR VOLTAGE: 400 V

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Alexander Helling.

CEO, Baseload Capital

 “It is almost unprecedented to bring a power plant from idea to completion in 18 months, regardless of power source. If we can accomplish this in Japan, which is known as one of the toughest markets in the world to enter, there’s no reason we can’t replicate it elsewhere.”

Masahiro Ito

Representative Director of Baseload Power Japan K.K.

"The ability to harness heat power will help Japan transition to a green baseload more quickly, it is proof that we can create energy without contributing to global warming, and it puts our nation on the path to energy independence."

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