Zuccato Energia, and its branch company “Zuccato Energy”, is a company based in Verona, Italy, specialised in the design and manufacturing of advanced systems able to produce electric energy from the recovery of thermal and kinetic power.
Interview with Sara Zuccato, Marketing Strategist at Zuccato Energia.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
Sara Zuccato: Zuccato Energia’s has two main areas of activity that aim to the recovery of wasted or unused energy sources, in particular: the manufacturing of ORC turbines able to produce clean electric energy from heat sources generated by industrial cycles (process fumes from melting furnaces, combustors and cooling cycles), by the combustion of flaring gas, geothermal sources and much more; the production of turbines for the expansion of methane gas, able to produce clean energy from the decompression of methane in the reduction chambers, working side by side with the existing plant.
The energy produced by our systems doesn’t impact the environment, contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions, as it’s produced by transforming thermal and kinetic energy that otherwise would end up wasted.
Our clients can directly use the recovered energy in their electricity grid, reducing the cost of the amount of electricity used by their grid.
Our machines have many applications, varying from a wide spectrum of industrial sectors: steelworks, glass production, foundries, chemical industries and processing industries, oil and gas, ceramics, lime, cements, gen set for the production of electricity, naval engines, geothermal.
E.E: What’s the news about new products/services?
S.Z: We’ve been working on a new technology called “Turboexpander” – able to improve energy efficiency of industrial plants by exploiting the reduction methane gas from the supply level to that of that required by users. It’s another step into the optimisation of the industrial process, impactful in a positive way both to the client and to the environment, as the gas, once its pressure is reduced, its potential energy is permanently lost.
E.E: What are the ranges of products/services?
S.Z: Our ORC Systems are divided in ULH, LT and CHP. ULH systems are able to recover wasted heat by low temperature heat sources, such as engines and industrial processes, but also geothermal heat or Thermodynamic Solar Power. LT systems are for small-scale power generation (e.g. employing biomass-fueld boilers), its wasted heat recovery can come from ovens, gas pressure regulators, Biomass and other industrial processes. Then our CHP Systems are for all those applications where it’s useful to combine 80°C hot water production and electric power generation.
E.E: What is the state of the market where you are currently active?
S.Z: The state of the market is seeing an increasing interest towards heat and energy recovery, not only in Europe but also all around the world. Zuccato Energia has been working with companies and industries all around the world, proving how limitless the market for ORC systems is.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
S.Z: If before ORC systems and the technology behind it may have been less known, it’s gathering more attention each year as the discussion concerning the environment gets broader. Sustainability is a growing concern, like in industrial processes. An example would be with the production of aluminium, that has seen an increasing demand from the consumer for a more sustainable way to work and produce aluminium – metallurgy industries are finding ways to optimize their production processes, one of those ways being the recovery of wasted heat to turn into usable clean energy.
E.E: What are the most innovative products/services marketed?
S.Z: We have an ample selection of ORC systems, made to gather to the specific needs of the client, and then custom made to perfectly fit into their production process. Our product is extremely efficient and sustainable, as we use environmentally friendly and organic fluids to power our systems.
E.E: What estimations do you have for the beginning of 2024?
S.Z: 2024 is surely a promising year, of growth for our company, especially seen the market trend of increasing interest towards this wonderful technology.
