Esbjerg seawater heat pumps supply district heating in Denmark

· Climate · Denmark

Esbjerg, Denmark, is using large electric heat pumps to draw heat from the North Sea and feed its district-heating network, CleanTechnica reports. In a two-hour winter test, seawater entered the system at 3.3°C and left at 1.2°C, with the two heat pumps consuming 19.9 MW of electricity while delivering 55.2 MW of heat. The figures indicate a coefficient of performance well above two, meaning the system produces more heat than the electrical energy it consumes. The project illustrates how coastal cities can substitute seawater-sourced heat for fossil-fuel boilers in urban heating, a sector that is difficult to decarbonize. The item gives no detail on cost or full commercial operating schedule.

Why it matters：Urban heating is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonize, and a working seawater heat-pump system at city scale offers a replicable model for coastal municipalities weighing electrification of district heat.

Key points

  • Seawater entered at 3.3°C and exited at 1.2°C during the test
  • Two heat pumps used 19.9 MW of electricity to supply 55.2 MW of heat
  • Heat is drawn from the North Sea for the city's district-heating network

Sources (original reporting)

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