creating a positive feedback loop that encourages further collaboration.
operator into an active agent of the green transition.
Beyond traditional utility: An energy system integrator
Deep Dive case study: The Envases factory trans formation Previously, the Envases factory, a manufacturer of metal cans, operated in an energy silo. Its heating needs were met by an on-site gas boiler system, exposing the company to volatile gas prices and creating a significant carbon footprint. The primary source of waste heat was the coatings workshop, where industrial ovens used for curing and drying lacquers generated a continuous stream of high-value surplus heat that was vented to the atmosphere. The solution architecture: A symbiotic dual-strategy The solution was a holistic, dual-pronged strategy that re- engineered the factory's relationship with energy. 1. Connection to District Heating: The inefficient gas boilers were decommissioned, and the factory was connected to Fjernvarme Fyn's DH grid. This replaced a volatile, carbon-intensive energy source with a stable, secure, and progressively greener supply of heat. 2. Internal heat recovery and export: An internal heat recovery loop was installed to capture high-temperature surplus heat from the production ovens. This captured energy is first
Fjernvarme Fyn's strategy is not a simple replacement of its central coal plant but a sophisticated approach centered on a diverse portfolio of decentralized, flexible assets. This embraces sector coupling, integrating heat from municipal waste, biomass, large-scale electric boilers, and advanced heat pumps that utilize surplus heat sources. A prime example is the utility's landmark project with Meta's hyperscale data center in Odense. Fjernvarme Fyn captures enormous quantities of low-grade surplus heat (around 27°C) from the data center. This water is "boosted" to a grid-suitable 70-75°C by large, electrically driven ammonia heat pumps. When fully operational, this system will provide carbon-free heat for over 12,000 homes. The successful execution of the massive and technically complex Meta project demonstrated Fjernvarme Fyn's capabilities, serving as a crucial form of risk mitigation for other potential industrial partners like Envases. An industrial facility needs confidence that its utility partner can reliably receive and utilize exported heat. By proving the concept at an unprecedented scale, Fjernvarme Fyn established a track record that lowered the perceived risk for subsequent partners,
The industrial energy challenge and the surplus heat opportunity
The global imperative for industrial decarbonization
sites located within a 10-kilometer radius of existing DH networks. This subset represents the "low-hanging fruit" of industrial decarbonization, as it relies on connecting existing assets rather than building new infrastructure. This readily available energy is sufficient to supply approximately 8% of the EU's total district heat demand, displacing an equivalent amount of fossil fuel generation. The Envases case study validates how this theoretical potential can be transformed into a practical, economically viable reality. The Danish context: A national hotbed of potential Denmark, a pioneer in district heating, provides fertile ground for industrial heat recovery. The nation's manufacturing industry alone has an estimated excess heat potential of 22.58 PJ per year, equivalent to 21% of its final energy consumption. The food and beverages industry, a critical part of the supply chain for a packaging manufacturer like Envases, is particularly energy-intensive and has historically relied on fossil fuels, making its decarbonization a strategic priority. Recognizing this, the Danish government has fostered a supportive policy environment. In January 2022, the parliament abolished a tax on the utilization of surplus heat for certified businesses. This legislative action directly improved the financial business case for projects that capture and sell waste heat, encouraging the kind of industrial-utility collaboration seen in Odense.
Industrial heat constitutes two-thirds of all industrial energy demand and nearly 20% of total global energy consumption. The overwhelming majority is generated by burning fossil fuels on-site, making it a primary source of direct CO2 emissions. Unlike the electricity sector, where transitioning large power plants to renewables has wide- reaching effects, industrial heat is decentralized. It is generated and consumed within individual facilities, each with unique requirements. This distributed nature makes top-down solutions difficult. Meaningful carbon reduction in this sector demands innovative, site-specific, and collaborative solutions that integrate industrial facilities as nodes in a larger, circular energy system.
Unlocking Europe's wasted resource: The scale of surplus heat
Within this challenge lies an immense opportunity: surplus heat. Across the European Union, industrial processes release vast quantities of thermal energy as an unwanted byproduct. A comprehensive analysis by the sEEnergies project quantified this potential, revealing that a staggering 425 Petajoules (PJ) of excess heat is available annually from heavy industry at 95°C or higher - a temperature directly compatible with most existing district heating (DH) systems.
The analysis further identified that 151 PJ of this high- temperature surplus heat is generated by industrial
5
www.dbdh.dk
Powered by FlippingBook