D2Grids is a European funded Interreg North West Europe project running until the end of 2023, involving multiple partners working together to develop and deliver low temperature heating and cooling technology solutions.
Approximately half of Europe's total energy consumption comes from heating and cooling, however currently only 19.1% of this is generated from renewable energy sources. Governments are increasingly looking to phase out the gas infrastructure that currently dominates the market in favour of low carbon and renewable alternative energy sources.
D2Grids stands for 'demand-driven grids'. Decentralised energy production, using heat pumps, allows energy exchange on the network, where flows are demand-driven. This concept allows the recovery of cold and heat emitted by supermarkets, data centres, offices, shops for example. The objective is to maximize the share of renewable energies in these local energy loops, through an industrialization of the approach, a standardized technological model, and a clarification of the business model to strengthen the interest of these projects for third party investors. For more information on this approach watch the video below:
Plymouth aims to expand its district heating and cooling provision across a number of areas of the city and the D2Grids pilot project is an exciting opportunity for Plymouth to develop use of 5GtDHC technology as a means of decarbonising Plymouth's homes and businesses affordably, building on its previous involvement in the HeatNet project.
As part of the wider project, we have secured funding to deliver a city centre pilot scheme, focusing on the Civic Cluster and Millbay to facilitate the uptake of low carbon technologies, process and services in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Plymouth is one of five demonstrators, with others located in Paris-Saclay (FR), Bochum (GE), Brunssum (NL) and Glasgow.
The Plymouth Pilot seeks to:
- Explore the use of ground source to supply a 5th generation network at Millbay and future proof buildings for connection with heat pumps and solar.
- Establish a heat network in the Civic Centre cluster to provide district heating and cooling, alongside a private wire network using renewable sources to serve a range of existing buildings.
Plymouth is working closely with sub-partners Nordic Energy, alongside the lead partner, Mijnwater, based in the Netherlands as well as other partners from across North West Europe: Asper Investment Management Ltd, Clyde Gateway Developments Ltd, Open Universiteit, Ecotransfaire, Bureai de Recherches Geologiques et Minieres, Etablissement Public d’Amenagement Paris Saclay, Greenflex, Construction 21 France, Vlaaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek NV, FUW GmbH.
For more information, read the 5th Generation for Heating and Cooling grids: new pilot site integrated into D2GRIDS Project press release, visit the Interreg North West Europe project website or email LowCarbonCityTeam@plymouth.gov.uk.
