Rotterdam,
28
September
2021
|
09:09
Europe/Amsterdam

Sustainability of The Hague’s heat network to be improved step by step

Uniper and Eneco have entered into a heat supply agreement with a term of twelve years. In The Hague, Uniper will continue to supply heat generated by its combined cycle power plant to Eneco’s heat network. The companies will also be teaming up to improve the sustainability of the plant over the coming years, in order to ensure that it will be carbon neutral by 2035.

The characteristic Uniper energy plant situated at the De Constant Rebeque square has been producing electricity for The Hague and the surrounding region for decades and recaptures the residual heat from this process. This renewable heat is used by Eneco for the supply of heat to some 38,000 households in The Hague and the surrounding region. This new contract guarantees the continued supply of heat during the step-by-step improvement of the sustainability of the heat network in The Hague.

The facility at the De Constant Rebeque square will be able to operate as an energy hub where proven and new technologies are brought together. Examples include the heat provided by the WarmteLinQ heat distribution network and geothermal energy. This could also stimulate the potential growth of the demand for heat in The Hague and the surrounding region.

Carbon neutral
At an earlier stage, Uniper and Eneco separately already announced their intention to be operating on a carbon-neutral basis by 2035. This ambition is another factor that brings the parties together. A clear commitment to work together on improving the sustainability of the heat supply has been formalised in a Letter of Intent. To achieve this, both organisations are exploring the possibilities for the use of more sustainable means of production, including hydrogen, green gas and geothermal energy.

Supply of heat guaranteed
Apart from the step-by-step addition of more sustainable sources, for the time being the Uniper plant will continue to be important for the security of supply. This is because, given the current state of technology, connecting and disconnecting sustainable sources usually takes a long time. During peak moments when demand is high, for example between 7 and 9 am, it is often necessary to increase the heat supply at short notice. This type of peak moments can be dealt with due to the flexibility of the installations in Uniper’s plant in The Hague and the company’s expertise in the area of energy dispatch.

The long-term collaboration the companies have now entered into not only stimulates the availability of electricity and heat in The Hague, but also provides a basis to further improve sustainability. This way, we are working on improving the sustainability of the heat supply in The Hague and the surrounding region while also providing the security of a warm home.

 

On photo from left to right: Sebastien Walth and Pieter van Stratum of Uniper and Paul Hendrix of Eneco