Switzerland: ABB, EKZ GETEC and Jura Cement have signed an agreement to install an ABB waste heat recovery (WHR) system at the Wildegg AG cement plant in Switzerland. The WHR is based on organic Rankine cycle (ORC) technology, less common than the steam Rankine cycle, which currently dominates the waste heat recovery sector for cement plants. It is expected that Jura Cement will have to purchase about 20% less electricity from the grid for its operations at Wildegg as a result of the installation. EKZ GETEC is financing the system. It is also supported by the Swiss Federal Department of Energy within its 'Energy Switzerland' programme.

ABB has the expertise required to completely integrate the power plant into the cement production process. The turnkey power station order includes design, project management, delivery, installation and commissioning and is scheduled to be commissioned in November 2013.

Marcel Bieri, production manager at Jura Cement, said, "We will be able to generate 14,400MWh of electric power using ABB's waste heat recovery system. That's enough to satisfy the power demand of about 3600 Swiss households." Cement companies that use WHR technology benefit over the medium to long term because they are less exposed to rising energy prices. Payback times on the capital expenditure necessary for installing WHR plants vary but can be as little as two years in some cases.