- Malta’s heat pump tech uses industrial waste heat for thermal energy production
- Company also developing thermal, electrical energy storage technology
Japan’s Kobe Steel has entered into a capital and business alliance with US clean-tech company Malta to develop applications for high-temperature steam and make better use of unused waste heat, the company said on 10 September.
Under the agreement, Kobe Steel will acquire newly issued shares in Malta, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based clean-tech company spun off from X, formerly known as Google X, a research and development organisation under Alphabet.
Focus on high-temperature steam, energy storage
Malta is developing heat pump technology capable of handling steam at higher temperatures, along with thermal and electrical energy storage technology that uses molten salt to store generated energy.
Malta’s high-temperature heat pump technology enables the efficient use of otherwise unused waste heat from industrial processes to supply high-temperature thermal energy. This can improve energy efficiency while reducing CO2 emissions.
The company is also developing thermal and electrical energy storage technology that can store thermal energy for long periods and provide output as either heat or electricity. This gives the technology potential applications beyond waste heat recovery, including the more flexible use of energy in industrial operations.
Kobe Steel said Malta’s technologies have significant potential for industries with high-temperature heat demand, as well as for storing and using thermal energy that has not been fully utilised.
The companies aim to combine Malta’s steam-management technology with Kobe Steel’s long-established steam compressor technology to accelerate the development, commercialisation, and wider adoption of Malta’s solutions. The alliance aims to effectively utilise unused waste heat by combining the two companies’ technologies, particularly in industrial sectors where high-temperature steam is generated.
Part of Kobe Steel’s green transformation strategy
Kobe Steel said the strategic alliance with Malta forms part of its green transformation initiatives under its KOBELCO-X programme, which is being pursued under the group’s fiscal 2024-26 medium-term management plan.
The company’s Machinery Division is seeking to expand businesses related to energy transition and resource circulation, while creating new demand through the integration of its proprietary technologies.
Note: This article has been published in accordance with a content exchange agreement between Japan Metal Daily and BigMint.
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