02/02/2024
Source: Energy & Management Powernews
EnBW Contracting uses an additional large heat pump to heat a residential area with the waste heat from industrial operations.
The energy network in the municipality of Waldbronn in the northern Black Forest has already been connecting the local swimming pool, the ice rink and two industrial companies as energy consumers for several years. EnBW Contracting announced that the system is now becoming even more sustainable. In future, a high-temperature heat pump with a heating capacity of 1.5 MW will utilize the waste heat from the two connected industrial companies and thus supply "a residential area in Waldbronn with local heating, among other things."
In order to use the available energy even more efficiently, the waste heat flows from Agilent Technologies Deutschland GmbH, which is part of the Waldbronn energy network, will also be included via the large heat pump. The company receives electricity and cooling from the energy network for its offices and production facilities.
The manufacturer of analytical measuring instruments uses cold water. This is used for the production and air conditioning of the production and office spaces, as well as for the data center. In summer, the surplus heat generated by the cooling system is used to heat the swimming pools in the Waldbronn outdoor pool. In winter, the same heat source is used by Agilent to heat a newly built customer center. The combined heat and power plants, which are part of the energy center, also supply heat for Agilent's older office buildings.
The residual heat from the second industrial plant is also used. The company Taller disposed of an old cooling water supply. However, the supplier of plug-in bridges saved on the new investment and now receives the required cold water from the energy center. The recooling system on the roof of the EnBW energy center produces cooling water, which the Taller company opposite uses to manufacture cable technology and plug bridges.
EnBW is using this to further improve the efficiency of the energy network with a large heat pump, explains Andreas Hockun, Managing Director of EnBW Contracting GmbH: "At peak times, up to 3."
"Waldbronn is a flagship project for us"
In future, this waste heat potential will be used for heating by the new high-temperature heat pump. The waste heat will replace a large proportion of the heat previously generated from fossil natural gas in the energy network control center and, once it is commissioned, will supply a new development area with around 280 residential units via a local heating network. In total, up to 70 percent of the heat provided by the energy network will be CO2-free, which will save a corresponding amount of natural gas.
"Waldbronn is a flagship project for us," says Hockun. "Our efforts to achieve climate neutrality, save CO2 and reduce fossil energy sources call for new ways of generating energy. In Waldbronn, we are making a contribution together with politics and business - and showing what the supply of heating, cooling and electricity could look like in the future."
The mayor of Waldbronn sees the energy network as a locational advantage for his municipality, because: "With the energy network, we are keeping the location attractive for commercial enterprises that have set their own sustainability goals. And in future, we will also generate a large proportion of the heat for the new residential district here," says Christian Stalf (CDU). The heating transition poses challenges for municipalities. A rethink is necessary in order to supply communities with sustainable energy.
For the EnBW manager, the Waldbronn energy network is exemplary: "In Waldbronn, we are making a contribution together with politics and business - and showing what the supply of heating, cooling and electricity could look like in the future".
Author: Stefan Sagmeister
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