On 22-23 May 2024, the vibrant and welcoming city of Oslo hosted an inspiring and productive meeting for the USES4HEAT project. Bringing together 27 partners from across Europe, this meeting was proof of our collective commitment to developing innovative sustainable energy solutions. We focused on sharing recent progress and working together to implement two large-scale underground thermal energy storage (UTES) facilities, one in Oslo, Norway and one in Riva del Garda, Italy.
The USES4HEAT project focuses on underground thermal energy storage (UTES) – a ground-breaking approach that allows us to store heat underground and make it available when needed. This innovation is crucial to our transition to sustainable energy systems, providing a reliable and efficient way to balance energy supply and demand.
In Oslo, our project partners had the opportunity to explore the future borehole thermal energy storage (TES) site at Furuset, led by Hafslund Oslo Celsio. This site will be a cornerstone of the city’s low-temperature district heating system. By integrating the UTES with the Haraldrud waste incineration plant, we can effectively use the excess heat generated from waste and turn it into a valuable resource for heating homes and businesses.
The Haraldrud waste incineration plant, operated by Hafslund Oslo Celsio, plays an important role in Oslo’s district heating network. When waste is incinerated at Haraldrud, environmentally hazardous substances are destroyed and the excess heat is captured and used to produce district heating.
Haflsund Oslo Celsio, the largest district heating company in Norway, currently supplies 20% of Oslo with district heating for space heating and hot water. As part of the USES4HEAT project, Hafslund Oslo Celsio’s demonstration will include a large-scale seasonal borehole thermal energy storage (BTES) system, fully integrated into the low temperature district heating (LT-DH) network, to maximise the use of excess heat from Oslo’s district heating network during the summer (June to August) and deliver it to the LT-DH in Furuset during the winter.
The visit to Furuset’s future borehole TES site was particularly insightful. The Oslo meeting was not just about site visits; it was a forum for sharing knowledge, ideas and innovation. Partners from different countries and sectors came together, each bringing unique perspectives and expertise.
The BTES, together with the connection to Oslo’s main district heating network, will be the main sources of thermal energy for the local LT-DH network. Solar thermal collector units will be installed to reduce the dependence on the main network and to demonstrate the suitability of the innovative BTES to accommodate different heat supplies. In addition, with a planned widespread circular economy, the amount of waste to be incinerated is likely to decrease and the incorporation of a larger solar share will be evaluated to meet future needs.