Heineken installs 100MWh solar heat battery in Portuguese brewery

Heineken, US startup Rondo Energy, and Portugal's EDP have partnered to deploy a 100MWh Rondo Heat Battery at Heineken’s Central de Cervejas e Bebidas Brewery and Malting Plant in Portugal. 

At the Lisbon site, the heat battery will provide 7MW of renewable-powered steam for brewing processes.  

The installation will be the largest heat battery in the beverage industry worldwide, providing continuous, renewable steam to Heineken’s local operation.

The battery charges with intermittent solar and low-cost electricity, says Rondo, then stores electricity as heat in refractory brick, and delivers steam on demand at any conditions up to over 100 bar, with no combustion and no emissions. 

Additionally, says Rondo, the heat battery harvests this electricity with a cost of storage lower than any chemical battery, to supply energy low enough in cost to replace fossil fuel steam. 

It can deliver continuous 24-hour, zero-carbon steam, heat and/or electricity, serving as a drop-in replacement for fossil fuel-fired boilers or cogeneration systems.

Heat-as-a-Service model

Heineken, which aims to have decarbonised production sites by 2030 and a net zero value chain by 2040, uses on-site solar for power, and electric heat pumps for its hot water needs at the Lisbon site. 

High-pressure steam, on the other hand, is one of the hardest-to-decarbonise brewery needs, with the battery providing a new angle for decarbonisation, says Rondo.

Under the contract, EDP will supply Heineken with this steam under a Heat-as-a-Service model, with Rondo providing the battery and EDP supplying the solar installation and complementing electricity through the grid.

Additionally, says Rondo, cutting the brewery's emissions comes without changing Heineken’s operations; the steam is identical to fossil-fired steam, but the carbon emissions are not.

The system also offers highly flexible demand to the grid that soaks up electricity when solar is abundant and uses the network outside of peak demand, making better use of the existing capacity.

Commenting in a release was Magne Setnes, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Heineken: "By combining our strengths with EDP and Rondo, we're unlocking new ways to power our brewery operations more efficiently.

"This project not only helps us reduce our reliance on conventional energy, it shows how practical innovation and strong partnerships can deliver meaningful improvements across our supply chain."

Said Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade, Chief Executive Officer of EDP: "At EDP, we believe the future of industry will be driven by partnerships and breakthrough ideas. 

“Deploying the world's largest heat battery in the beverage sector – integrated into a brewery solution and powered by solar panels and a complementary green PPA – is not just about technology; it is about proving what is possible when we dare to push the boundaries.”

Iberian solar and financial backing

Portugal aims to have a 55% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, with the brewery battery project tapping into the country’s attractive solar resources to help.

Rondo also hopes the project will serve as a model for other industries – from dairies and food processing to pulp and paper, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. 

The company says that many Iberian facilities have space for solar installations on-site or near-site, and, through growing access to inexpensive renewable electricity through the grid, the region has potential to emerge as Europe's gateway to cost-competitive, clean energy for industry.

Said Eric Trusiewicz, Chief Executive Officer of Rondo Energy: "Iberia can be Europe's low-cost and low-carbon industrial manufacturing base.

"We are thrilled to be installing our first Rondo Heat Battery in Iberia, and to support Heineken to reach its goals. We look forward to helping industries across Iberia cut costs and carbon, and help Iberia capitalise on the opportunity."

Have you read?
Hockey, uni and a brewski: three innovations in district heating
Why storage is the missing piece in Europe’s energy transformation

The project is backed by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Breakthrough Energy Catalyst as part of an EU–Catalyst partnership investment of €75 million ($86.2 million) announced in 2024 to scale Rondo's heat battery deployments across Europe.

Said EIB Vice President Karl Nehammer: "Boosting competitiveness and decarbonising Europe's industry through affordable renewable energy is a key priority for the EIB Group. 

"Through our new Climate Bank Roadmap, we are prioritising innovative solutions such as Rondo's heat battery. This project is exactly the kind of public-private partnership we aim to support more of in the future." 

Said Mario Fernandez, Head of Breakthrough Energy Catalyst:

"Rondo's heat batteries offer a unique pathway toward energy security for European industry, allowing companies like Heineken to implement a solution that is affordable, reliable, and clean.

"Catalyst exists to accelerate the deployment of critical technologies, and we are thrilled to support a project, along with our European Partners, that can provide round-the-clock decarbonized heat for manufacturing in this moment of need."

Fresnal technology in Valencia