Anax Power has signed operating agreements with Enbridge to install its Anax Turboexpander System (ATE) at locations in Pennsylvania and Ontario, Canada. The projects will add up to 1.5 MW of energy capacity to Enbridge’s system at Hamilton, Ontario, and up to 2 MW in Pennsylvania. This emissions-free power will be consumed in Magellan Scientific’s co-located, modular, off-grid data centers.
The ATE uses the pressure and flow of natural gas within Enbridge’s pipeline to drive a turbine and generate zero-emissions electricity, without burning natural gas or releasing greenhouse gases. The Pennsylvania project marks Anax and Magellan’s second installation in the state (see “Anax Power Turns Compressed Gas into Clean Energy,” September 2024 Gas Compression Magazine, p. 64), and the Hamilton project will be the first ATE installation in Canada. Keeping with its sustainability pledge, Enbridge is the first major pipeline in North America to adopt the ATE, which could scale to hundreds of locations across Enbridge’s system in the coming years.
Anax will install up to three ATEs at an Enbridge facility in Ontario and up to four ATEs in Pennsylvania. Both projects will be integrated with Magellan’s co-located, modular, off-grid data center. The resulting turboexpander-data center system self-generates clean, base load power, and uses excess cooling to improve server efficiency and thermal management.
“These projects represent monumental milestones for Anax, and we believe this will be the start of a long partnership with Enbridge and Magellan as we scale across North America,” said Michael Longo, chief executive officer of Anax Power. “By turning waste energy into clean electricity, this installation demonstrates how Anax makes existing energy infrastructure more sustainable — right now, with proven technology.”
The Enbridge projects expand Anax and Magellan’s portfolio of clean power projects and validate using turboexpanders to meet climate goals in a profitable way.
“Data center demands for electricity are exponentially increasing,” said Christopher Halvorson, president of Magellan Scientific. “Pairing our off-grid immersion data centers with the ATEs provides a source of 24/7, emission-free electricity. The turboexpander also helps to manage excessive heat from the data center by providing cooling at zero incremental cost.”
“This collaboration reflects our ongoing commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through innovative, sustainable solutions,” said Steven Greenley, Senior Vice President of Commercial, Enbridge Gas. “We take pride in utilizing our natural gas systems to champion environmental initiatives to enhance the well-being of the communities we operate in.”
How It Works
When a gas is expanded, it cools. This happens whether the gas goes through a valve or a turboexpander. With the Anax turboexpander, usable work is extracted as you expand the gas AND spin a turbine. The system generates power from natural gas without combustion using the pressure and flow of the gas moving through pipelines to spin the turbine, similar to how wind spins a wind turbine. This carbon-free source of energy harnesses energy wasted in the natural gas regulation process to create financial and environmental value for power plants, pipeline operators, and large industrial users of natural gas and electricity.
As the gas cools, however, this can sometimes pose a problem for pipelines as they need to keep the gas above freezing to avoid damage. Line heaters are typically used to warm the gas after it is expanded. However, they are inefficient, burn valuable natural gas, and emit CO2. If additional heat is needed (many sites need no additional heat, added Longo), it can be captured as waste heat from data centers (that Anax builds and brings to the site).
