Driving the world’s energy transition

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DRIVING WORLD’S the ENERGY

TRANSITION

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 combined 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, confirmed CEO Rob Marchitello. Profile by Andy Probert.

The 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 was needed.

Rob Marchitello, who worked at AFG, proposed that package to AFG’s board, and Airem Energy was created as a business 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 manufacturer 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.

Accelerating change

Collaboration with experienced specialists 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.

Mr Marchitello commented that the new organisation is committed to supporting its partners through the energy transi-

tion with advanced, clean, climate-sustainable and economically-viable power generation solutions.

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 sustainable 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 sustainable solutions to be provided to the market, and we look at it from that standpoint rather than just trying to sell a turbine.

“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 and China.

Airem 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.

“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.

Examples of these waste gases include flare gas and NGLs from oil extraction and refining, biogas, pyrolysis, syngas, landfill 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 excellent source of electricity and heat, often converted to steam. The simultaneous ISO

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output of 1.8 MWe and 4.2 MW high-temperature exhaust heat offers a perfect fit for clients.

Multiple units can be deployed in synchronous operation for a modular approach to larger electrical and heat loads, providing extremely high reliability and low impact to the facility during maintenance events.

Airem Energy also offers the A400 turbine package, a highly-efficient, fuelflexible solution in a compact footprint. The unique 400kWe size provides an excellent 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 highlycustomisable solution to a wide range of challenging applications.

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 otherwise be flared. We can recapture pollutants and re-use them in our products.”

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, battery 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.

“We know we can provide tangible solutions 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 microgrid or a one-plant solution, is perfect for us and offers tangible opportunities for our clients.”

He cited an 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.

“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 integrated enabled them to seamlessly transfer to island mode.”

The company’s OP16 turbines can be utilised in many fields: oil and gas, hospitals, general industry, universities, manufacturing plants, landfills, recycling 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 manufactures a 400KW solution turbine. It also has an agreement with UNIVASTUM,

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Rob Marchitello CEO

a company which provides patented gasification technology as an economic and ecological solution for clean energy generation without harmful emissions in the waste-to-energy sector.

“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.

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 guarantees a long-term supply of methanol to customers at agreed rates providing an alternative to fossil fuel and its increasing emission-related cost.

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.

“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.”

He emphasised that partnerships are Airem Energy’s main focus as “the opportunity to partner gets Airem quicker and shorter development cycles. Any partnership must have an intrinsic value, so we go through a rigorous process choosing partners for the right reasons.”

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-cultural, which is exceptionally important as diversity drives innovation.”

Exciting future

According to Mr Marchitello, the main objective for him is educating international organisations 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.

“For me, this is the most exciting business I have ever been involved with –seeing the business grow and make a difference 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.”

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.

“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.”

He concluded: “As Airem Energy is the most fuel-flexible provider of heat and power technology globally and a solution provider that is second-to-none, we are completely energised and excited for the future.” n