A strong foundation
Energy is in transition – and we can also detect this when considering our project structure. At Iqony, well over a third of the engineers are involved in renewable energy projects – be they in solar energy, wind power, hydroelectric power, geothermal energy or biomass. A flexible approach is therefore essential to meet the growing demands. In the past, energy needs were largely covered by fossil fuels. However, energy sources such as coal, crude oil and natural gas are limited. In contrast, renewable energies are available in virtually unlimited quantities. Nevertheless, we should not forget our dependence on our location and weather here. When considering our solutions, we take future generations into account, facilitate the most efficient use possible of existing resources and think through comprehensive systems.
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Thermal power plants
Eighty years ago, we set new standards with thermal, coal-based power plant technology. To this day, hard coal remains an important component of a secure and affordable energy mix. Iqony Solutions operates seven bituminous coal-fired power plants and a refinery power plant in Germany in addition to three further hard coal-fired power plants abroad. Both industry and public providers feature among our customers.
Our existing power plants are continuously optimised so that the energy generated using hard coal is increasingly economical and flexible. In parallel, Iqony is complementing its power generation portfolio with renewable energies. Around 100 plants run on biomass, biogas or mine gas, or geothermal energy. Around 100 more are operated as decentral energy contracting plants.
Some of our plants generate electricity and heat. Decentral generation plants with the cogeneration of power and heat in addition to thermal plants constitute our core competence. The principle of combined heat and power generation can be used with any fuel – so both with fossil fuels or with renewable energies, which are based on a thermal process. For many decades now, Iqony Energy Services has completed projects – including high-efficiency gas power plants, for partners in the energy sector, municipalities and industry. Whether conventional natural gas is used as the fuel or a special fuel such as coke oven or residual gas from chemical production, the focus of our work is always flexible, environmentally-friendly and economical.
We stand for a secure, affordable and above all sustainable energy mix. We draw on our own many years of operational experience, IT expertise and engineering competence, which are unique in this combination.
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Waste and residues
We have experience – in rubbish, too
In Germany, thermal waste treatment represents a fundamental pillar of waste disposal. Iqony was involved as a planning engineer from the outset and first supervised plants back in the 1980s. Since that time, Iqony has also been familiar with this business field as an investor. Most recently, the group acquired the shares in Lauta thermal waste treatment plant in Saxony as well as in the Rudersdorf industrial power plant near Berlin. The plants have a total waste incineration capacity of 475,000 tonnes per year.We plan and build thermal power plants to recycle and dispose of municipal and residual waste, substitute fuels, hazardous waste and production residues. In cases where recycling waste would be uneconomical, it replaces primary energy sources as a fuel.
Iqony has been involved in implementing this approach at the Lauta waste incineration plant as well as at various chemical industrial estates. Furthermore, we develop and implement sensor-supported control systems for the optimising and enhancing the efficiency complex incineration processes at waste treatment plants.
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Biomass
Avoiding more than 380,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year – thanks to wood
Biomass plays an important role in a varied energy mix. In Germany, Iqony transforms 550,000 tonnes of biomass in the form of waste wood, forest wood, industrial timber and wood clippings into energy. We concentrate on thermal energy generation plants with power and heat cogeneration and we supply municipalities, industrial enterprises and commercial companies as well as private households with electricity and heat which is highly-efficient and environmentally friendly, of course.Iqony operates eight biomass plants that use power and heat cogeneration. The heat generated is fed into district heating networks or supplied to industry as process steam. Thanks to the CO2-neutral incineration of biomass, more than 380,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide are avoided in one year.
Iqony engages in other opportunities for biomass usage worldwide such as torrefaction in Namibia, which involves the thermal processing of biomass under the exclusion of air at a temperature of approx. 300°C. The aim of this procedure is to create a biogenic (CO2-neutral) fuel with coal-like properties. Further examples include mono-combustion in the UK and Brazil and co-combustion in the Philippines.
With our reference projects, we demonstrate the versatility and flexibility of our work in the energetic use of biomass, biogenic waste and residues.