Brief
The Issodoun malting plant operated by Boortmalt Malthouse Group, Europe’s second-largest malt producer, generates around 160,000 tonnes of malt per year, an activity that requires a great deal of heat. With the goal to reduce gas consumption and complement the energy produced by a biomass boiler, which has been installed on-site in 2012, a 14,252m² solar thermal plant has been integrated into the factory’s heating system in 2021.
Technology
Solar thermal technology is integrated into the malting facility at two points: First, at the preheating of air for malt drying, where solar heat raises the temperature to 40°C before the biomass takes over. Furthermore, solar heat is used in the water/air exchanges in one of the site’s kilns. Overall, the project complements the heat recovery systems and the biomass boiler already in place, contributing to a sustainable and energy-optimised industrial drying production line.
The solar thermal installation produces around 8,000 MWh of clean energy annually and comes with a 3,000m³ storage facility, ensuring that solar heat is continuously available as the malting plant runs day and night on 365 days per year. Thanks to solar thermal, 2,200 tonnes of carbon emissions are avoided every year.