MAN Energy Solutions has successfully commissioned the first unit of its industrial-scale heat pump in Esbjerg, Denmark, marking the delivery of its first heat. Operated by multi-utility company DIN Forsyning, the new plant will supply approximately 280 000 MWh of climate-neutral heat annually to the district heating networks of Esbjerg and the neighbouring town Varde. It will reduce CO2 emissions by 120 000 tons per year.
Located at the Port of Esbjerg, the plant harnesses renewable energy from nearby wind farms and seawater as a heat source. The facility is part of the transition to replace the city’s coal-fired power plant, which has ceased operations, and forms a critical part of Esbjerg’s ambitious goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. With a total heating capacity of 70 MW, the CO2-based heat pump system is the largest of its kind ever brought into operation globally. It operates in tandem with a new 60 MW wood chip boiler that uses sustainable wood chips and a 40 MW electric boiler plant, which serves as a peak and backup load facility.
Helle Damm-Henrichsen, MD of DIN Forsyning commented, “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, said: “Utilising 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.“
A key feature of MAN’s solution is its use of CO2 as a refrigerant for the entire system-cycle. The solution also enables fast power-balancing of the electrical grid and thus supports the integration of intermittent power generation like solar and wind. The system can be switched on and off many times a day and is capable of reacting very quickly to switching.
The basic principle of heat pump technology is to use electrical energy to elevate low-temperature thermal energy to a higher, more useful level. For every MWh of electrical energy invested, approximately three MWh of usable thermal energy can be generated. This is usually called the COP, or Coefficient of Performance, and it varies according to the temperature conditions. At the centre of the plant are two oil-free, hermetically sealed HOFIM motor-compressor units developed and manufactured by MAN Energy Solutions. The machines will be connected for remote monitoring, data-analytics and diagnostics of the compressor technology and the auxiliary systems.
For more information about MAN’s heat-pump technology, visit: Heat up Carbon down (man-es.com)
