Harnessing the energy stored in ice cold water has been highlighted as a potential solution to heat towns and cities without the use of fossil fuels – it’s a great example of chemical engineering making a difference.
Through the use of heat pumps and district heating, lakes and rivers can provide enough energy to heat water to 90°C.
Whilst not an obvious source of energy, a district heating company in Drammen, Norway, have managed to use an ice cold fjord to provide hot water to heat an entire community of 65,000 people.
Drammen Fjernvarme (DF) have teamed up with the city council and Glasgow, UK’s Star Renewable Energy to build this efficient district heating system.
Star Renewable Energy are better known for providing refrigeration systems to large retailers. However they were able to think outside the box and offer an alternative heat pump design.
Continue reading Star heat pumps can access energy stored in cold water (Day 312)
