The Danish district heating plant in Frederiks wanted to reduce its dependency on natural gas and therefore chose two sustainable and energy-efficient 1.5 MW air-to-water CO2 heat pumps. The two heat pumps will provide sustainable heating for approximately 800 households.

Frederiks started the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable alternatives by installing solar panels as a supplement to natural gas. The solar panels provide approximately 22% of the energy for the needed heating capacity. The two new CO2 heat pumps use electricity to produce heating, and electricity will thus, to a large extent – up to 100 percent – be able to replace natural gas as an energy source.

In addition to being sustainable, the heat pumps are also highly energy-efficient. Both heat pumps feature the latest technologies, including permanent magnet motors, parallel compressors, and high-pressure ejectors, for maximum energy savings.

Compared to other natural refrigerants, a CO2 solution is easy and quick to install on-site, as it is fully factory tested. In this way, the right balance between efficiency, investment, and installation costs is achieved.

The solar panels generate waste heat in the form of lukewarm water (around +20C). Instead of wasting it, one of the two heat pumps reuses the water to operate the heat pump, thereby increasing energy efficiency and overall COP. This means cheaper heating for the 800 households in Frederiks.