Research into sustainable heat sources gives City of Bruges the insight to take steps toward a climate-neutral city in 2050
The Bruges Climate Plan 2030, put together with experts and local associations and entrepreneurs, was approved by the College and City Council in February 2022. The climate plan aims to emit at least 49% less CO2 by 2030. This as an intermediate step toward becoming a climate-neutral city by 2050.
CLIMATE PLAN 2030
The climate plan lists more than 200 actions. All these actions are divided under 7 different themes, which include fossil-free heating and renewable electricity. One of the many actions is clear: A search for additional green heat sources for both high and low temperature.
The first steps were already taken in 2021 when the heat zoning plan for the entire city's territory was approved. This zoning plan helped to give direction and scientific support to the vision and policy on sustainable heat in Bruges.
The heat zoning plan shows which neighborhoods and streets will be best heated collectively in a sustainable manner by 2050 from a cost-optimal perspective.
RENEWABLE HEAT SOURCES
Ingenium's assignment, together with partner EXTRAQT, included the investigation of the possible sustainable heat sources that could be used in the city of Bruges to provide public and private buildings with sustainable heat through a collective system. This research could be divided into 3 phases.
Phase 1: available heat
In a first phase, Ingenium investigated in cooperation with the city the available heat sources on the entire territory of Bruges and its districts. The result is a list and a map of the heat sources, completed with the available capacities, heat quantities and temperatures. In addition, a first qualitative assessment of the usability of the heat became available.
These heat sources can be divided into several categories:
- Industrial waste heat (ex: port of Zeebrugge & industrial parks)
- Solar energy on residual spaces (CST, PVT and solar water heaters)
- Geothermal
- Surface water
- Sewage water (riothermal)
- Drinking water
- Non-site heat sources
- Large-scale air-to-water heat pumps
- Electrode boilers
- Various technologies based on combustion of various fuels (e.g., boilers & CHPs)
Phase 2: collectively supplying the city with heat
Subsequently, it was examined to what extent the most promising and sustainable heat sources can collectively supply the various areas in the city with heat. Various simulation models were drawn up to see whether the existing sources are sufficient zone by zone, and this in combination with a large-scale heat buffer and a peak heat plant. This is always for the current heat demand of the city, and for the expected heat demand after renovation of all buildings. In this way, the city has an overview of the necessary collective heat infrastructure for each heat network zone.
Phase 3: energy and financial evaluation
In een laatste fase werden de diverse warmtebronnen energetisch en financieel geëvalueerd. Per warmtenetzone werd er gekeken naar het verwachte energieverbruik en vergeleken met de huidige situatie en andere mogelijke fossielvrije oplossingen. De(her)investerings-, energie- en onderhoudskosten werden geraamd per warmtebron en per bijkomend nodige warmtecentrale, net als de ‘Total Cost of Ownership’(TCO) en de ‘Levelized Cost of Heat’ (LCOH).
Op deze manier kreeg stad Brugge een goed inzicht in de nodige infrastructuur voor collectieve warmte en kan de stad doelgericht kijken naar de opstart van de diverse deelprojecten.
Would you have liked more info on this project? Contact our expert Joris Dedecker at joris.dedecker@ingenium.be or call 050 40 45 30.