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Bjerringbro’s local heating plant has entered into a collaboration with the company Grundfos to supply district heating using the factory’s surplus heat.

The project The Energy Central (Energicentralen) has enabled Bjerringbro’s heating plant to utilize surplus heat from Grundfos’ production plants for district heating. Groundwater is used to cool down the factory machines and store the surplus heat until it is ready to be distributed through the district heating system using a series of heat pumps.

3,000
TONNES OF CO2 REDUCED EACH YEAR AS A RESULT OF THE PROJECT

The former cooling system consumed large amounts of energy and generated heat. Now, 15% of Bjerringbro’s district heating comes from the Energy Central project, equivalent to 13,500 MWh of heat, and an additional 10,500 MWh for cooling per year.

Factory with pumps in Bjerringbro, Viborg Municipality
The heating plant utilizes the surplus heat from the production at Grundfos' factory.

The Energy Central is also designed so that visitors can easily learn about the plant through large windows and information screens displayed. All of these initiatives led to the collaborative project winning the Heat Pump City of the Year award in 2014. The project has been so successful that a project called Energy Central 2 is already in the pipeline.

How the Global Goals are addressed

Decent Work and Economic Growth

The project contributes to sustainable economic growth by reducing fossil fuels in district heating, while the company Grundfos reduces its consumption and cost of energy and cooling.

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

The establishment of the Energy Central projects means that it is no longer necessary to construct traditional refrigeration systems, responsible for excess heat and emissions.

Partnerships for the Goals

Grundfos and Bjerringbro heating plant have established a partnership connecting the company and local city to create an innovative and sustainable project for the benefit of all.