News Archive

13 Apr 2016

Heat Roadmap Europe can play a big role in the European energy transition

The Energy Union is a game changer that will likely accelerate the growth of renewable energy in the EU, and the Heat Roadmap Europe project, as part of the 4DH Research Centre, can play a big role in that development. Those were the main conclusions from speakers Martin Lidegaard, former Danish Energy and Foreign Minister, Morten Bæk, director of the Danish Energy Agency and Atli Benonysson, Vice President of Danfoss, at the kickoff event for the 4th Heat Roadmap Europe project held in Copenhagen in the beginning of April.

The theme of the event was “How can we cost-effectively decarbonise the European heating sector?”, and this is now more than ever on the European agenda according to former Danish Energy Minister Martin Lidegaard:

“The Energy union is a game changer. On top of the climate argument, the security argument is getting more focus. The European politicians are realizing that our dependency on gas and oil from non-European countries is a security issue,” said Martin Lidegaard.

Getting the new EU strategy on Heating and Cooling into the European legal framework is of utmost importance, added Morten Bæk from the Danish Energy Agency:

“Heat Roadmap Europe can play a critical role in this. I believe it can be a cornerstone in changing the heating and cooling practice in the EU,” said Morten Bæk.

Read more on heatroadmap.eu

30 Mar 2016

Sole focus on electricity storage can be expensive

No doubt that 100% renewable energy can be achieved technically. But a sole focus on the electricity sector which is less than half the energy sector and focus on electricity storage only can make the transition unnecessarily expensive.

This was the key message from 4DH Deputy Head Brian Vad Mathiesen at this year’s Energy Storage fair on March 15 in Düsseldorf. 3000 visitors paid the fair a visit to hear about storage technologies, from battery storage to thermal and mechanical storage right up to Power2Gas and Power2Heat.

- I believe the world can go to 100% renewable energy. Scientific analyses clearly point in that direction. But there is a risk that a sole focus on electricity storage, inefficient use of bioenergy or only funding for grid infrastructure can make the transition extremely expensive – even in countries with easy access to natural resources. Understanding the roles of energy storage, flexible demands, heating demands, cooling demands and transport demands, efficient energy conversion and new energy demands is the key to understanding how a cost-efficient transition can take place.

- The last three conference days showed that after years of research, the industry is ready to enter the storage market. Now it’s up to the policy to set the course in the right direction, said Brian Vad Mathiesen.

17 Feb 2016

Rotterdam makes heat roundabout with surplus heat for South Holland

The Heat Roadmap Europe studies have shown how the European countries produce enough surplus heat to provide district heating to all of Europe, and now Rotterdam is making this a reality for South Holland.

The industry in the Port of Rotterdam currently produces 150 PJ of heat going to waste, but this amount of heat could heat a small country like Denmark. Now, plans are set in motion to make a “Heat Roundabout” that will eventually bring district heating with all the surplus industry heat to people living in southern Holland.  

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16 Feb 2016

Dansk forskning har ændret EU’s strategi på varmeområdet

EU har foretaget en kovending i synet på fjernvarme. Forskning på Aalborg Universitet har været med til at forvandle fjernvarme fra fy-ord til erklæret målsætning, viser ny EU-strategi, som netop er fremlagt i dag. Forskerne mener, at fjernvarme kan gøres 4 gange mere udbredt i Europa og bane vej for 100 procent vedvarende energiforsyning.

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16 Feb 2016

Researchers change the direction of EU heating strategy

Over the last five years, the European Union has radically changed its views on heating, partly thanks to a series of studies led by a group of researchers at Aalborg University, Denmark. This is evident from a new EU Strategy on Heating and Cooling launched today.

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