The Kyoto Heatcube pilot in operation for 6 months

Originally published on Valinor

Kyoto finalized its pilot plant Heatcube in collaboration with Vardar Varme AS and Treklyngen AS, in June 2020. The pilot plant has been in operation for half a year, and achieved several of its first milestones. Heatcube shows our capability to operate the external circulation system with multiple tanks, and manage the flow between them by the use of pumps and valves, said Christian Blom, COO at Kyoto.

The pilot plant has tested a capacity of 60kWh and 18 kW output, in the old workshop of Treklyngen. In 2021, Heatcube will expand its capacity and output. The system is designed for a capacity 2000kWh and 1000kW output, which illustrates how well the system scales in size. The control system for Heatcube is also under development and will be fully automated before it is connected to Vardar Varme’s district heating network, says Blom.

Today, 74% of industrial energy consumption is used for thermal energy, of which 90% is based on fossil fuels. The goal is for Heatcube to buy renewable energy when it is cheap and accessible via sunlight and wind, and store thermal energy until the industry needs it. In this way, Kyoto will offer a sustainable alternative to the industry’s current dependence on coal and gas.