Heineken’s groundbreaking solar process heat plant in Seville, Spain, was celebrated as a flagship project for sustainable industrial energy, as reported by Bärbel Epp, Founder and Director of the German communication and market research agency solrico and editor-in-chief of solarthermalworld.org. Completed in just 13 months, this 30 MW facility is Europe’s largest solar process heat plant, showcasing cutting-edge technology and a commitment to environmental stewardship. Operated by Engie España under a 20-year heat supply agreement, the plant has earned high praise from Heineken for its performance and efficiency.
“We absolutely recommend this investment to other manufacturers. It’s a scalable and forward-looking solution and a symbol for Heineken’s commitment to sustainability and innovation,” said Consuelo Carmona, Technical Manager of Sustainability at Heineken España, in the article by Bärbel Epp. She highlighted the encouraging progress in fine-tuning the system and expressed confidence in its long-term value.
A Game-Changer for Industrial Heat
The Seville plant, designed and installed with contributions from Azteq and Solarlite Spain, integrates seamlessly into Heineken’s brewery infrastructure. Key features include:
- Parabolic Trough Collectors: Identical to those used in large concentrating solar power plants, measuring 12 m x 5.77 m, these collectors ensure high efficiency.
- Water as Heat Transfer Fluid: Unlike traditional synthetic oil, water is used, offering significant environmental benefits.
- Thermal Storage: Eight stratified, pressurized steel tanks with a total volume of 800 m³ store heat for consistent supply.
- Local and Global Collaboration: While receivers and mirrors were sourced from China, the solar field installation was led by Azteq/Solarlite Spain and executed by an Andalusian construction company.
The plant delivers an annual solar yield of 28.5 GWh, meeting approximately 50% of the brewery’s 56 GWh annual heat demand. Operating five days a week, the system achieves an overall efficiency of 44%, based on Seville’s annual Direct Normal Irradiance of 2,095 kWh/m², as detailed by Bärbel Epp in her report.
Optimized Design for Maximum Impact
The plant’s innovative design ensures reliability and efficiency. A heat exchanger separates the solar collector field from the brewery’s pressurized water system, preventing interference with existing infrastructure. The system maintains a flexible supply temperature range of 170–210°C, meeting Heineken’s operational needs.
To optimize heat production, the parabolic troughs are oriented east-west, balancing output with the brewery’s demand profile and minimizing excess heat during summer months. This configuration also maximizes land use efficiency, making it a perfect fit for the site’s constraints.
A Blueprint for the Future
Heineken’s solar process heat plant is more than a technological achievement—it’s a scalable model for manufacturers worldwide. By covering half of the brewery’s heat demand with renewable energy, the plant reduces reliance on fossil fuels and sets a new standard for sustainability in industrial processes, as Epp emphasizes in her solarthermalworld.org report.
For more information on how solar thermal solutions can transform your operations, visit Azteq Energy or explore the technology behind this project at Solarlite. Heineken’s success in Seville, as covered by Bärbel Epp for solarthermalworld.org, proves that sustainable innovation is not just possible—it’s profitable and practical.
