The world's largest CO2-based seawater heat pump with a 70 megawatt heating capacity recently went online in Denmark. According to Interesting Engineering, the heat pump, developed by MAN Energy Solutions, will provide heat for 25,000 homes.
The facility is just part of the plan to replace dirty energy sources like the coal plant that shut down in late August that produced 1.2 million metric tons of carbon pollution a year. MAN Energy says the transition to this heat pump will reduce carbon dioxide pollution by 120,000 tons per year, greatly cutting back on one of the main drivers of the overheating of the planet, which has led to extreme weather that has threatened lives and the global food supply.
The heat pump consists of two chambers, one in which liquid CO2 is turned into steam and transferred to the other chamber, where it is pressurized to produce heat. It uses CO2 as a refrigerant for the entire cycle, and will work in tandem with a 60 MW boiler fueled by sustainable wood chips and a 40 MW electric boiler to ensure the facility's capabilities during peak times.
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"This is a significant milestone that we have eagerly anticipated for a long time," said Helle Damm-Henrichsen, managing director of DIN Forsyning, the company that will operate the heat pump plant. Damm-Henrichsen added, "While we may be in western Jutland, I believe it's fair to call this a world premiere; the world's largest CO2-based seawater heat pump is now producing heat."
The installation of the heat pump, which is powered by nearby wind and solar farms, began in June 2023.
The hope is that other cities will follow suit as much of the world continues to transition to clean energy sources.
"Utilizing innovative industrial-scale heat pumps to deliver sustainable heating is not just a technological achievement," said MAN CEO Dr. Uwe Lauber, "but a blueprint for other cities worldwide as they transition to greener energy systems."
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