%page_title%

A pioneering energy project that not only sets new standards in district heating, but also has a significant impact on reducing CO2 emissions, has just been launched in Esbjerg, Denmark. The first of two powerful MAN seawater heat pumps has just started up. Located in the port of Esbjerg, the CHP plant will reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 120,000 tonnes per year and provide 280,000 MWh of climate-neutral heat.

This state-of-the-art heat plant will be able to meet the heating needs of 25,000 households by supplying heat to Esbjerg and the neighbouring town of Varde. Interestingly, one hour of operation is enough to supply four households with heat for a year. In the future, the two heat pumps at DIN Forsyning will reach a total heating capacity of 70 MW, making it the largest system of its kind in the world.

The pumps are part of an entire district heating system that, in addition to the surplus heat from the incineration of Energnist’s waste, consists of an electric boiler, a storage tank, a woodchip boiler and a state-of-the-art heat distribution centre. Smaller district heating plants in the area are used for peak loads and as back-up.

The CHP plant in Esbjerg harbour uses renewable energy from nearby wind farms and seawater as a heat source. The plant is part of a transformation to replace the city’s coal-fired power plant, which has been decommissioned, and is an important part of Esbjerg’s ambitious goal to become carbon neutral by 2030. With a total heating capacity of 70 MW, the plant is the largest of its kind ever commissioned in the world. It operates in tandem with a new 60 MW wood chip boiler and a 40 MW electric boiler plant.

Helle Damm-Henrichsen, Managing Director of DIN Forsyning:

“This is a significant milestone that we have eagerly anticipated for a long time. From now on, all our customers in Varde and Esbjerg will benefit from district heating directly sourced by the North Sea. This achievement is not only transformative for DIN Forsyning but also a major step forward for the climate. While we may be in western Jutland, I believe it’s fair to call this a world premiere: the world’s largest CO2-based seawater heat pump is now producing heat.”

Dr. Uwe Lauber, CEO of MAN Energy Solutions:

“I’m extremely proud that our Mega Heat Pump is now providing climate-neutral heat to the people of Esbjerg and Varde. As a pioneering city, Esbjerg demonstrates how urban heating systems can be reshaped by harnessing renewable energy sources. Utilizing innovative industrial-scale heat pumps to deliver sustainable heating is not just a technological achievement but a blueprint for other cities worldwide as they transition to greener energy systems. At MAN Energy Solutions, we are committed to transforming energy into tangible benefits for communities and businesses while driving down emissions.”

The heat pump system developed by MAN sets new standards in sustainable technology. This is of particular interest to DIN Forsyning, given the plant’s location on the Wadden Sea. The solution also makes it possible to quickly balance the output of the electricity grid, thus supporting the integration of intermittent power generation such as solar and wind power. The system can be switched on and off several times a day with rapid response capability.

Do you known...

The Wadden Sea is an area pulsating with life. It is more than a spectacular landscape. Its natural wealth and unique qualities have fascinated scientists, travellers and nature lovers from all over the world for years. It is not just vast expanses of water and wetlands that change with the tides. It is a place teeming with life – from hundreds of species of migratory birds to rare marine organisms. The entire area is protected and recognised as a ‘Wetland of International Importance’. The Wadden Sea has become a symbol of international cooperation for nature conservation. The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark work together to care for this priceless treasure, which was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2009. Initially recognised as a transboundary site in Germany and the Netherlands, the area was given new status in 2014 – including Denmark. Today, it is one of the few places in the world where three countries come together in such a unique way to care for the future of our planet.

The basic principle of heat pump technology is to use electricity to raise low-temperature heat energy to a higher, useful level. For every MWh of electricity invested, approximately three MWh of useful thermal energy can be generated.

At the heart of the plant are two oil-free, hermetically sealed HOFIM® motor-compressor units developed and manufactured by MAN Energy Solutions. The units use high-speed motors and active magnetic bearings, eliminating the need for oil and reducing maintenance requirements. The units will be connected for remote monitoring, data analysis and diagnostics of the compressor technology and auxiliary systems.

The technology is not dissimilar to a ground source heat pump, which also extracts heat, amplifies it and delivers it to a single household. In this case, the system extracts heat from the water and heats the hot water to the temperature required by the customer.

A seawater heat pump is a closed system consisting of two chambers. In one chamber, the liquid – in this case CO2 – is converted into steam, which is then transferred to the other chamber. Here the pressure increases and heat is generated. This heat is used to heat the return water from the district heating network. The cooled steam returns to liquid form and is returned to the first tank for evaporation. So it is not seawater that goes into the cooler – and it is not water from the cooler that goes back into the sea. It is two separate circuits that cross each other.