Opcon and Tricorona team up to finance increased export of environmental technology

Opcon, the energy and environmental technology Group, and Tricorona, a specialist trader in environment-related market instruments, have signed a partnership agreement concerning exports of Opcon’s energy and environmental technology that help reduce climate impact. The carbon credits generated via the Clean Development Mechanism Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) established under the Kyoto Protocol will be bought and managed by Tricorona. The partnership agreement focuses on the sale of Opcon Powerbox and Opcon’s technology for generating carbon-free electricity from waste heat. Marketing efforts have already started on the Chinese market, where there are major environmental problems and industry generates large amounts of waste heat. The partnership also covers other markets and more Opcon products that reduce climate impact where joint marketing is planned to start up later this year. “Through additional financing based on the CDM we can help Opcon to reach new customers around the world. With financing from the CDM scheme this type of new, state-of-the-art environmental technology from Sweden can be made available to developing nations who are expanding their energy systems,” says Marco Berggren, head of Tech Transfers at Tricorona. Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), is a flexible mechanism within the Kyoto Protocol and complements the effort of industrial countries in reducing their own emissions. Investment in new technology for reduced climate impact in most developing countries generates carbon credits within the system. In China, for example, between 0.6 and 1.1 carbon credits are generated per MWh produced from renewable energy, depending where investment takes place in the country. Opcon Powerbox is Opcon’s proprietary product for producing new carbon-free electricity from waste heat at temperatures as low as 55°C. A standard Opcon Powerbox is at 0,74 MW and can be installed in large process-industry plants, power stations, larger diesel engines or with adaption, onboard larger ships. Using waste heat, electricity is produced from energy that would otherwise be wasted. Waste heat has an enormous and mostly unutilised potential. According to the US Department of Energy, waste heat in American industry is a larger source of energy than electricity produced from all renewable energy sources in the US put together. “This is yet another stage in Opcon’s international expansion strategy. Tricorona has an extensive network and with its knowledge of upcoming energy projects in several developing countries the company will be a good partner for Opcon both in finding customers and securing financing. Carbon credits provide a significant financial bonus for our customers. In general teams they can account for around 3-4% of the investment cost per year, which can correspond to around half of the customer’s interest costs for their investment in our equipment,” says Per Hedebäck, head of Opcon’s Renewable Energy business area.