October 16, 2024
From a lake around a 600-year-old castle to rivers near modern developments, heat pumps are tapping into water’s energy for clean heating and cooling. A recent webinar explored aquathermal energy (AE) and its transformative role in the North Sea region.
Hosted by the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA) on October 16, the event brought together experts, local government representatives, and researchers from the WaterWarmth EU project.
Watch the recordings from the webinar
The WaterWarmth EU initiative, funded by the Interreg North Sea Programme, aims to establish AE pilot projects, addressing technological readiness, infrastructure, and policy needs. Covering six countries—Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France—the project, which runs until 2026, involves 20 partners including EHPA, government bodies, universities, and energy communities.
“WaterWarmth is about collaboration,” explained project coordinator Shanne Bouma. “By emphasizing heat pumps’ role in AE systems, we’re illustrating just one of many innovative clean energy solutions, helping to expand heat pump adoption beyond the North Sea region.”
The webinar showcased AE pilot projects, illustrating AE’s flexibility. In Belgium, heat pumps are integral to AE systems at sites like the restored 600-year-old Jardin d’eau d’Annevoie castle and the Dijlemolens residential and commercial complex in Leuven, explained Sebastian Baes, engineer and co-founder of EXTRAQT, a firm specializing in aquathermal heating and cooling.
“Aquathermal energy is often overlooked, yet it has great potential for clean heating and cooling on various scales,” Baes noted.
Additional examples came from Fryslân in the Netherlands. “We are Europe’s aquathermal region,” said Andries Metz, Fryslân’s Programme Leader for Aquathermal Energy and District Heating, highlighting 15 active AE projects integrating heat pumps and district heating and cooling (DHC) systems. “It’s an excellent way to keep energy—and money—within the community,” Metz added.
The webinar also addressed AE governance, with Delft University’s Nthabi Mohlakoana, University of Twente’s Thomas Hoppe, and Lund University’s Sara Brogaard comparing case studies from the Netherlands and Sweden.
In Sweden, where heat pump adoption surged after the 1970s oil crisis, AE remains niche compared to other clean heating solutions. Meanwhile, the Netherlands, with abundant water resources, presents a favorable setting for AE, as shown by the Fryslân projects.
Their research underscored the need for supportive policies to scale up AE. Policy frameworks should function across national, regional, and municipal levels to manage the complexities of energy planning, water permits, quality control, and environmental protections.
WaterWarmth’s focus on community partnerships and practical AE applications aims to demonstrate AE’s potential and offer a model for similar projects across Europe. “Aquathermal energy could redefine clean heating and cooling,” Bouma concluded. “Our pilots in the Netherlands and Sweden are just the start.”