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Find answers to common questions about Skyven and its Arcturus industrial heat pump, from determining project fit to getting started.

Skyven helps manufacturers lower the cost of industrial steam with Arcturus, our line of industrial high-temperature heat pumps. Each Arcturus system is configured around a facility’s heat sources and steam requirements to optimize performance for a given site.

Customers can deploy Arcturus through Energy-as-a-Service, with Skyven financing and operating the project, or through a traditional capital purchase.

Arcturus is Skyven’s line of industrial steam-generating heat pumps. It recovers waste heat from sources such as humid exhaust and cooling water and upgrades it into boiler-quality steam at temperatures up to 215°C (420°F) and pressures up to 20.7 barg (300 psig).

Each system is configured around the facility’s specific heat sources and steam requirements using standardized subsystems. Arcturus uses water as its working fluid and operates at coefficients of performance (COPs) ranging from approximately 2.0 to more than 8.0, depending primarily on the required temperature lift.

Skyven’s Arcturus line of industrial heat pumps is designed for energy-intensive manufacturing facilities with substantial process steam demand and a consistent source of recoverable waste heat. Typical applications include, but are not limited to, food and beverage, pulp and paper, ethanol and biofuels, chemicals, textiles, and metals processing. Explore Arcturus projects across industries.

The strongest Arcturus opportunities are facilities with significant, consistent steam demand, a suitable source of recoverable waste heat, and steam requirements within Arcturus’s operating range. Skyven uses Galileo, its industrial heat pump modeling software, to evaluate site-specific heat sources, steam conditions, system performance, and project economics. The initial assessment provides a rapid, preliminary view of the potential Arcturus system at your facility.

The Arcturus high-temperature heat pump reduces industrial steam costs through high efficiency and flexible operation. Its high COP allows it to produce boiler-quality steam using substantially less purchased energy than gas boilers or resistance-based electrified alternatives.

Because Arcturus operates in parallel with existing boilers, facilities can shift steam production between electricity and natural gas as energy prices and operating conditions change. This flexibility reduces exposure to price volatility and can also enable participation in demand response programs, creating additional savings or revenue.

Arcturus reduces reliance on fuel-fired boilers by recovering waste heat and upgrading it into steam, cutting on-site fuel combustion from boilers. Lowering combustion-based emissions with Arcturus can also reduce a facility’s exposure under carbon pricing programs such as cap-and-trade and emissions trading systems, where fuel use carries a direct compliance cost.

Skyven operates a megawatt-scale Arcturus demonstration center in Dallas, Texas that produces steam using the same core technology, controls, and operating principles used in commercial Arcturus systems. Reach out to the Skyven team to arrange an in-person visit or virtual demonstration.

Skyven has delivered six full-scope industrial heat projects for California Dairies, Inc., the largest dairy processor in California. To deliver these projects, Skyven secured project financing, managed complex engineering and integration with live manufacturing facilities, and delivered the projects under long-term Energy-as-a-Service agreements. Project operations are ongoing today.

Arcturus is designed to integrate with existing plant operations while minimizing impact to production. It is deployed in parallel with the facility’s existing steam system, preserving existing boiler capacity for backup and redundancy. Most installation can occur while the facility remains in operation, with final steam, heat-source, and utility tie-ins coordinated around planned outages where required. Arcturus is also fully bypassable, so the existing boilers can continue supplying steam whenever the system is offline for planned or unplanned maintenance.

Customers can deploy Arcturus through either Energy-as-a-Service or a traditional capital purchase.

  • Under Energy-as-a-Service, Skyven finances, owns, operates, and maintains the system. The customer pays for the steam Arcturus delivers at an agreed rate, allowing the project to generate operating savings without upfront capital investment.
  • Under the CapEx model, the customer purchases the system directly and owns the asset. Skyven can provide installation, operations, and maintenance support if desired.

Many facilities are eligible for state, federal, or regional incentives for Arcturus projects. Skyven has secured more than $160 million in grants and incentives to date and will help identify and apply for relevant programs.

Timelines vary by project, but customers can generally expect the project to require 24 months from initial Galileo assessment to Arcturus commissioning. Learn more about Skyven’s project development process.

Skyven develops projects across North America, Europe, and Asia, with active project development internationally. To support project delivery, Skyven works with a pre-qualified network of engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) partners spanning more than 35 countries.

The first step is a site assessment using Galileo, Skyven’s thermodynamic modeling tool. With approximately one hour of input from your team, Skyven evaluates your steam demand, available heat sources, utility conditions, and energy costs.

The assessment provides a site-specific view of potential Arcturus capacity, expected COP, steam cost savings, emissions reductions, and overall project fit. From there, facilities with a strong opportunity can move into the FEL and project development phases of our process.

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