Using latest technology in combustion of oil and gas can provide significant savings in overall energy consumption. Modern oxygen control that compensates changes in ambient temperature and fuel qualities can increase energy efficiency up to 3%. By adding the usage of hot combustion air another 2-3% can be saved. Modern burner technology without mechanical linkage, operating with accurate servomotors, can mean big savings in energy cost.

Boilers normally require huge fans for combustion air, which are often driven against closed air dampers in a condition where the boiler is not running on full power.

These air dampers can be replaced with variable speed drive for the fan motor and the installation will have a payback time of only a couple of years.

Ground source heat and other unused heat recourses, obtained by heat pumps is vastly available and has recently proven to be suitable also for industrial purposes and can be used as a fair alternative for oil and gas burn for heating.

The driver for investing in this technology may not be influenced only by the environmental perspective but also the economic viability. Initial investment returns in savings in fuel consumption and the long term advantages include guaranteed a stable heat source without price fluctuations. These are the main drivers for industries that have decided to make the investment.

Many industry sites have added a heat pump to reduce oil and gas consumption. They produce 40-60% of the heat demand by means of heat pumps and only when operating on full capacity, an additional oil and gas combustion is needed.

Oilon, a privately owned Finnish company, operating in the field of environmental and energy technology for the last 50 years, has been strongly present in this market and is very committed to develop solutions to support the growing needs of clean and renewable energy.

Recent developments in clean energy include projects related to combustion of process gases, which before were wasted in industrial processes. Complex recovery systems are required to separate these low heating value gases for combustion, which has made it challenging to guarantee the return of investment.

However, these significant clean energy sources are available throughout the process industries and with current state-of-art burner technology it is possible to guarantee stable and clean burn.

"Combustion of gases with low heating value demands special know-how in field, which Oilon has accumulated over several years. The secret of successful combustion of gases of this kind lies in the correct phasing of gas and air feed, i.e., in the way the gas is mixed with air. If necessary, we add a special front chamber to the burner to stabilize the flame and facilitate efficient combustion", explains Mr. Tero Tulokas, Engineering Manager at Oilon Energy.

The recent years have shown that the use of clean and renewable energy is not anymore only an alternative but it will be essential for the preservation of the environment in a near future.

Agricultural and industrial activities are appointed as the major burners of fossil oils and gases which is the main responsible for the high emissions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Studies on how to generate energy through clean and renewable sources have recently become a serious matter. They have shown promising solutions to replace the existing energy production by new and sustainable for the planet.

Based on the increasing demand for the new technology and with the purpose of expanding to support new markets, Oilon has decided to invest in the growing South America.

The company will establish a unit in Brazil with the intention to supply oil and gas burners and heat pumps manufactured by the group as well as develop activities related to maintenance and supply of spare parts to the local market. A growing market with a strong concern over the environment generates a large demand for clean energy solutions.

Operations in Brazil will start in the beginning of 2012, when the director Mr. Johan Tallberg, will be relocated to manage South American operations and activities. Oilon Brasil Energia Ltda. will be operating in the city of Campinas, located 100km away from Sao Paulo.

"Campinas will be our South American headquarters, the same way the city of Wuxi in China centralizes our operations in Asia. From Campinas we will supply and promote the products and services to all South America", says Johan Tallberg.

The region has already a relevant installed base of Oilon burners, which requires spare parts and annual maintenance. International Paper, Arauco, Nestle, Stora-Enso, Frey Bentos and Klabin to mention some end users that are already using Oilon technology in South America.

The future perspective for the industry in Latin America is good. The economy is growing and the countries are self-sufficient in relation to several important raw materials.

The leading industrial companies in the world have been strongly investing in the increasing of productive capacity to follow the fast growing of South American market.

There is a perfect match between the recent industrial needs and the high technology which has been studied and developed lately. Thereby there is a great possibility for the South American countries to grow expressively and mostly important sustainably supported by the new solutions which already take into consideration the future of our planet.