Enopsol and Copenhagen Airports finalize groundwater system

Enopsol ApS and Copenhagen Airports (CPH) are in the process of setting up the final stage of a groundwater system (ATES), which can cool in the summer and heat in the winter.

The work on the plant began in 2010 with Enopsol as turnkey supplier, and now the final stage of 2 dwellings has begun.

The remaining 8 wells have already created massive savings for Copenhagen’s biggest workplace. When the system is fully installed, it is expected to deliver a cooling capacity of up to 5 MW and 10,000 MWh per year, which gives Copenhagen savings of up to 7 million annually.

“Upon completion of the last two wells, we are up to ten wells in total. Back in 2010, we started the first stage with the establishment of two wells and the first heat exchanger”, explains Stig Niemi Sørensen from Enopsol.

“It was part of the total order that the plant would be expanded in stages as the airport was expanded and the traditional freon-based cooling installations were phased out. This enabled the airport to meet the gains already from the first stage.”

When fully developed, the plant will cover up to 80% of the airport’s cooling needs. Right now it only covers the heat demand of the new Swift terminal via a heat pump. When more heat pumps are connected to the system, the potential is much greater.

The ATES system works by leading excess heat and cold down into the ground where it is stored and can be used later in the year as needed.

“We expect that the airport will get around 4.5 GWh savings of energy per year”, continues Stig Niemi Sørensen. The ATES system helps to ensure that Copenhagen Airport will meet the energy requirements for CO2 reduction in 2020.

ATES is an abbreviation for Aqufier Thermal Energy Storage.

Source: EnergySupply