BUILDING & FACTORY
Clean district heating made possible with heat pumps
Client Data
- Location:
- Europe
- Industry:
- District heating
- Production capacity:
- 26,800 equivalent homes
CHALLENGE
Heat pumps in high demand in the EU as it strives for carbon neutrality
The EU has set targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels) and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. As a result, participation in carbon neutrality at the regional and household levels is being encouraged, and heat pumps as a heating solution have gained significant attention across Europe in recent years.
A wastewater treatment plant in a certain city has introduced a district heating system aiming to effectively utilize the unused energy contained in treated water and contribute to carbon neutrality.
SOLUTION
Effectively utilizing unused heat from treated water to extract heating energy
This wastewater treatment plant can process 8.5 million cubic meters of wastewater annually. Previously, the treated water was discharged directly into a nearby river. However, using heat pumps, the unused heat in the treated water can be collected, compressed using electricity, and used as energy to produce hot water.
Therefore, this plant has introduced a district heating system with Mayekawa heat pumps as the key component.
Mayekawa supplied six heat pump packages. Currently, the system produces hot water at 80°C (176℉) for heating and supplies it to 26,800 households covered by the treatment plant.
RESULT
Clean district heating unique to large-scale facilities
Heat pumps significantly reduces particulate and greenhouse gas emissions compared to boilers.
This wastewater treatment plant reduces CO₂ emissions by 41,100 tons annually. Additionally, as boiler rooms are no longer required on the end-user's premises, end-users are freed from the constraints of equipment maintenance and renewal.
While it is difficult to introduce heat pumps at the individual end-user level, large-scale facilities like wastewater treatment plants can effectively utilize unused energy and heat recovery through heat pumps.
District heating systems are gaining attention as clean systems that can effectively utilize local resources.
Our mission is to create a sustainable future by pursuing optimal systems,
equipment and technology while working
side-by-side with customers.
