The district heating network in Hengelo makes optimal use of waste heat. The waste heat originates from the waste incineration company Twence. By processing regional wood and waste, steam is produced. With a turbine, this steam is partly converted into sustainable electricity. Another part of the steam is transported to the district heating network in Enschede, and the remaining part is transported through a 2,3 km pipeline to Nouryon. Here the steam is used to produce salt. In this process, the steam is used multiple times, resulting in low temperature waste heat. This waste heat reused again in the district heating network of Hengelo.
In Hengelo we use heat cascading to make optimal use of the low temperature waste heat. Low temperature heat is transported to the surrounding companies for direct use. The remaining low temperature heat is transported to decentralized energy plants. With heat pumps, this low temperature heat is upgraded to higher temperatures. The electricity that is used by these heat pumps is produced by the solar parks located at Twence. This makes the district heating network of Hengelo very sustainable, which is why it was rewarded with being the most innovative heating network in the Netherlands.
Making use of heat cascading is not the only reason why Hengelo is so innovative. By developing a digital twin together with Gradyent, we aim to gain more insights in the network. These insights help us with optimizing the heat pumps, and strategically placing a buffer. Finally, it helps us to understand the influence of customer-side installations on the efficiency of our network. With this understanding we can utilize the available heat to a maximum, together with our customers.
Written by: Marion de Dooij, Ennatuurlijk