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With an over-arching emphasis across industry on sustainable energy needs, Airem Energy is stepping forward as a leader in the energy transition, whether designing and producing a micro-grid, energy storage, or a com bined heat & power (CHP) unit. With facilities worldwide and backed by a host of top-tier partners, the company is well-positioned to provide some of the best fuel-flexible solutions, con firmed CEO Rob Marchitello. Profile by Andy Probert.
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Accelerating change Collaboration with experienced special ists in a broad range of applications allows Airem to accelerate and enlarge its field of global expertise and capacity to produce innovative solutions for a successful energy transition.
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T he launch of Airem Energy began in AFG Holdings, a private equitybacked global oil and gas original equipment manufacturer. It soon became evident that an additional power offering wasRobneeded.Marchitello, who worked at AFG, proposed that package to AFG’s board, and Airem Energy was created as a busi ness division in 2019. This was to help meet the rising demand for distributed generation and sustainability.
Airem Energy’s first partner was OPRA Turbines of the Netherlands, a leading manu facturer of advanced gas turbine-based generator sets. OPRA Turbines utilised Airem Energy as a premier packager, service provider and project operator of ultra clean, highly reliable gas turbines in the Americas. However, when the pandemic occurred, and the oil price slumped, AFG decided to divest Airem Energy and it was acquired by Energas Technologies, who is also the owner of OPRA, in 2020. In the process of rebranding the global company, Energas has been transformed into Airem Energy Holdings and thus OPRA became a fully integrated brand of Airem Energy Holdings and the opportunity was created to access an extended network to better meet customers’ needs.
Mr Marchitello commented that the new organisation is committed to supporting its partners through the energy transi
Airem tion with advanced, clean, climate-sus tainable and economically-viable power generation solutions.
Examples of these waste gases include flare gas and NGLs from oil extraction and refining, biogas, pyrolysis, syngas, land fill gas, and even VOCs from oil and LNG transportation or storage. In more conventional CHP applications utilising natural gas, their high reliability and heat-to-power ratio provide an excel lent source of electricity and heat, often converted to steam. The simultaneous ISO
He added: “Airem has a very different approach to the industry. We come looking to offer solutions, not just a product, whether that is through a combination of products or engineered solutions. We are a sus tainable energy solutions provider which is needed more than ever in today’s world Whether you believe in climate change or not is irrelevant; there are multiple sus tainable solutions to be provided to the market, and we look at it from that stand point rather than just trying to sell a turbine.
“Our ability to utilise waste fuels in gaseous and liquid form simultaneously, enables clients to use the world’s resources more effectively and reduce their carbon footprint,” Mr Marchitello explained.
“These will perfectly match customers’ needs and achieve our mission: To Drive the World’s Energy Transition,” he added, noting that Airem Energy Holdings now has operations across the US, the Netherlands andAiremChina.Energy’s OP16 turbine generator package is powered by the environmentally friendly, reliable and economical OP16 all-radial gas turbine. Designed and built in the Netherlands and packaged globally, the OP16 turbine packages bring the OP16 radial turbine to market, with local service and parts to support clients’ needs. Uniquely in the 2MW power range, the OP16 turbine’s fuel flexibility enables power, oil, gas and industrial clients to use virtually any combustible gas or liquid to produce high-quality power and heat on even the most remote site. This turbine can even use hydrogen as a fuel.
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Tangible solutions Drawing on the flare gas example, Mr Marchitello said Airem Energy could run this through their gas turbines.
“We are looking at other energy options , such as those drawn from plastics, to run through the turbine to create power and heat. We have also begun to partner with accretive technologies to offer more, whether as a different sized turbine, bat tery technology, or potentially solar. Not only is this from a socially sustainable footing, but it will help present a solution for both privately held or public-owned oil and gas companies, particularly those that will begin to be measured for ESG.
6 Airem Energy AIREM ENERGY I PROFILE output of 1.8 MWe and 4.2 MW high-tem perature exhaust heat offers a perfect fit forMultipleclients. units can be deployed in syn chronous operation for a modular approach to larger electrical and heat loads, providing extremely high reliability and low impact to the facility during maintenance events.
The company’s OP16 turbines can be utilised in many fields: oil and gas, hos pitals, general industry, universities, manufacturing plants, landfills, recy cling operations and even marine. “The markets are pretty much endless where our solution fits,” he said. To strengthen its hand in the market, the company has formed a number of partnerships with accretive technologies worldwide. This includes one with Aurelia Turbines, a Finnish company that manu factures a 400KW solution turbine. It also has an agreement with UNIVASTUM,
The unique 400kWe size provides an excel lent solution to energy projects in the 400kWe to 1,200kWe range. Combined with their fuel flexibility, from hydrogen to biogas, the A400 turbine offers a highly customisable solution to a wide range of challenging applications.
“About two years ago, we had a huge winter storm, and everything froze. But one of the only plants in West Texas that had lights on was our client: being inte grated enabled them to seamlessly transfer to island mode.”
Airem Energy also offers the A400 turbine package, a highly-efficient, fuelflexible solution in a compact footprint.
Mr Marchitello added: “If we can help our partners in whatever goal they have, whether it be electrically, reducing carbon footprint, power, steam, or a combination of both, the biggest thing we look at today is in providing a solution through the use of a wide range of fuels that would other wise be flared. We can recapture pollutants and re-use them in our products.”
“We know we can provide tangible solu tions to them, with measurable results. We can go to a customer and discuss the effects of our solutions and what problems we can solve for them. Our intense engineering effort on the solution side demonstrates the product’s potential. The reality is we sell that solution.”
Mr Marchitello said: “Having smaller, distributed solutions, such as a micro grid or a one-plant solution, is perfect for us and offers tangible opportunities for ourHeclients.”citedan example of the turbines’ effectiveness. In Texas, a large midstream company, which had an unstable grid, has since had its turbines electrically integrated into the grid by Airem Energy.
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He concluded: “As Airem Energy is the most fuel-flexible provider of heat and power technology globally and a solu tion provider that is second-to-none, we are completely energised and excited for the future.”
He emphasised that partnerships are Airem Energy’s main focus as “the oppor tunity to partner gets Airem quicker and shorter development cycles. Any partner ship must have an intrinsic value, so we go through a rigorous process choosing partners for the right reasons.”
Mr Marchitello said: “We are trying to upscale in a controlled manner and create more opportunities and regional hubs on the service side. It is about servicing clients and making it easier for them to work with Airem Energy over the long-term.
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Exciting future According to Mr Marchitello, the main objec tive for him is educating international organ isations on the need for a change in mindset “because human nature is to resist change. As we reflect what Airem can achieve, it resonates excitement. We are committed to what we can do in the ESG space.
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“We are very excited about the project potential for the future,” added Mr Marchitello. “The hydrogen revolution is coming and it is a big opportunity. We have already proven our turbine can run on 100% hydrogen and any mix thereof. Our aim is to stay ahead of the market, particularly with solutions.”
After successful combustion tests on methanol and studies on how to provide a methanol-powered OP16, both parties signed a distribution agreement making OP16 the exclusive core technology for Econimo’s small MW power range. Airem is also part of the European-based Hydrogen Alliance that looks at driving future technology with hydrogen.
Airem Energy’s management team is drawn from the renewables, fossil fuels and producer space, with more than 100 years’ experience. “The team is multinational, multi-layered and multi-cul tural, which is exceptionally important as diversity drives innovation.”
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Airem Energy a company which provides patented gasi fication technology as an economic and ecological solution for clean energy gen eration without harmful emissions in the waste-to-energy sector.
Airem Energy recently signed an agreement with Econimo’s Silent-Power AG from Switzerland which specialises in zero carbon CHP solutions using green methanol as fuel. While offering turnkey CHP solutions, the company also guaran tees a long-term supply of methanol to customers at agreed rates providing an alternative to fossil fuel and its increasing emission-related cost.
“For me, this is the most exciting busi ness I have ever been involved with seeing the business grow and make a dif ference on a social level. At Airem Energy, we believe we can make an impact through driving the world’s energy transition. There is a lot of work to do on that front, which creates great opportunities.”
“We have channel partners in select areas as an extension of what Airem Energy is trying to achieve,” said Mr Marchitello. “We have one in Colombia that leads in Latin America (Symmetry Latinoamérica), and Kaltimex Energy to further strengthen growth in Asia-Pacific. Other partnerships allow for a global reach and provide for worldwide client support system.
“Decisions are made quickly and being that adaptable is a real advantage. We want partners to say they want to work with us again. Reputation can be hard-earned, but lost in the blink of an eye.”
