The geoenergy plant at Kemicentrum was commissioned in 2005 and was then one of Europe's largest of its kind. Today, the facility consists of 164 boreholes and supplies Kemicentrum, the Architecture Building and the IKDC (Ingvar Kamprad Design Centre) with heating and cooling.
During its 20 years in operation, the plant has delivered more energy than originally estimated. Several components are now reaching their technical lifespan and Akademiska Hus is also taking the opportunity to develop the entire system.
"The geoenergy plant has been a successful investment that has delivered well for a long time. Instead of making individual one-off efforts, we are now taking a holistic approach to create an efficient and robust facility for many years to come," says Johan Enhörning, project manager at Akademiska Hus.
More flexible systems relieve the drill holes
An important part of the modernisation is to create a better balance in the borehole layer. The heat demand is greater than the cooling demand over the year, which over time affects the temperature in the ground.
The new solution therefore combines two types of heat pumps – air/liquid and liquid/liquid. This means that the system can be adapted to the season, weather and the needs of the operations, among other things. When the conditions are right, the borehole layer can be relieved and given the opportunity to recover.
The new plant is dimensioned for 2.4 MW of heating and 2.0 MW of cooling. The goal is to use the available energy smarter and at the same time reduce the amount of electricity required for operation.
"We have 20 years of experience and large amounts of operational data to build on. This gives us good conditions to optimize the system and get the different technologies to work together in the best way," says Johan Enhörning.
Natural refrigerants meet the demands of the future
The heat pumps' refrigerants are also being replaced. The new plant uses the natural refrigerants carbon dioxide and propane, which replace the synthetic refrigerant in today's heat pumps.
Carbon dioxide and propane have different properties and work efficiently at different temperatures. By combining them, the system can handle varying heating and cooling needs while adapting the plant to stricter environmental requirements.
The modernisation is part of Akademiska Hus' long-term work to optimise the energy efficiency of the campus and use energy as efficiently as possible. The project is being carried out in collaboration with Malmberg Energy AB as the turnkey contractor.
Facts about the geoenergy plant
- Commissioned in 2005.
- Consists of 164 boreholes.
- Supplies Kemicentrum, the House of Architecture and IKDC with heating and cooling.
- The new solution combines air-to-liquid and liquid-to-liquid heat pumps.
- Natural refrigerants in the form of carbon dioxide and propane are used.
- The new plant is designed for 2.4 MW of heating and 2.0 MW of cooling.
- Expected to be completed in the autumn of 2027.
