The Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy is moving forward with a project aimed to deliver sustainable heat to households in and around The Hague and the greenhouse horticulture sector in the Westland region, by using residual heat from sources in the Port of Rotterdam.
The Ministry announced this week that energy network operator Gasunie will be responsible for the further development of the first phase of a main heat transmission grid in the province of Zuid-Holland.
The delivered heat will replace the use of natural gas in homes, businesses and greenhouses.
The resulting reduction of CO2 emissions are expected to contribute significantly to achieving the climate objectives.
It is expected that the first deliveries of heat will take place in 2023.
At present, Gasunie is continuing the development of the ‘Pipeline through the Middle’.
This is a district heating infrastructure from the port of Rotterdam to The Hague with a branch line starting at Delft for the delivery of heat to the greenhouse horticulture region.
In addition, the new Vondelingenplaat pipeline is anticipated to supply residual heat from various port-based companies.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority and Gasunie are working together on this development.
Being able to use residual industrial heat requires new infrastructure. With support from the national government, we are now taking an important step towards the development of a regional heat grid. The heat that is available in the port area is sufficient to fulfil the heat demand of 500,000 households and a significant part of the greenhouse horticulture region. This can result in an annual reduction of CO2 emissions by 2 to 3 million tons,
…noted Allard Castelein, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority,
In a Letter to Parliament, the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, Mr Wiebes, states that it is wise to develop a regional heat transmission grid in the province of Zuid-Holland in view of the long-term sustainability objective.
Mr Wiebes announced that the “national government will be actively involved” in the realisation of the main infrastructure. The government will provide support for the project to the amount of €15 million in 2019 and will make €75 million available for the period 2020-2030.
A main heat transmission grid is a pipeline filled with hot water. It leads to central locations where energy companies collect the heat and then deliver it to customer by means of a more finely meshed network of pipelines.
The Pipeline through the Middle will have a capacity of 250 MW with which it will fulfill part of the heat demand in and around The Hague and the Westland greenhouse horticulture region.
