Sweden – Excess heat from AstaReal’s algae culture is now being used for district heating for up to 2,500 residences in Gustavsberg, a suburb of Stockholm.
The cutting-edge installation by Vattenfall makes use of lost waste heat from AstaReal’s manufacturing process. A contract for energy was signed in the fall of 2021 to establish a particularly modified facility for heat recovery at AstaReal’s production facility in Gustavsberg.
More than fifteen million kilowatt hours of heat will be recovered and utilized annually in Gustavsberg’s local district heating network thanks to the innovative technology, which effectively recovers extra heat from the production process.
First in the world
The first business in the world to successfully produce natural astaxanthin on a commercial scale is AstaReal, based in Gustavsberg. In Sweden and throughout the world, this phytonutrient is utilized as a nutritional supplement for both people and animals.
For AstaReal’s energy solutions, Vattenfall and AstaReal have a comprehensive relationship. Vattenfall also owns and operates high-voltage facilities including transformers and switchgears, provides AstaReal with climate-neutral power, in addition to the heat recovery facility. A new, much more environmentally friendly refrigerant (R1234ze(E)) than in earlier solutions has also been added to the plant.
