Turn Your Waste Heat into Financial Gains and Lower Emissions
A guide to Waste Heat Recovery and Sector Coupling by Danfoss
Why Waste Heat?
Waste heat recovery is more than just saving energy; it's about transforming unused energy into a valuable resource. By reusing excess heat, you can reduce reliance on conventional energy sources, significantly cut operational costs, and comply with environmental regulations.
Waste heat recovery can be as simple as reusing excess heat to warm your on-site facilities. Alternatively, you can maximize the full potential of your excess heat through sector coupling. This brochure highlights how sector coupling and a "reduce, reuse, re-source" approach to energy usage can help you achieve your operating cost and decarbonization goals.
Good for the Environment and Your Bottom Line
Whether you are a plant operator, building owner, or utility manager, working in construction, industrial processes, or food and beverage manufacturing, waste heat recovery makes good business sense. Implementing sector coupling unlocks its full potential, leading to:
- Reduce operational costs
- Boost energy efficiency
- Meet decarbonization goals
- Increase compliance with environmental legislation
- Improve energy security
Danfoss is a reliable partner to begin your waste heat recovery journey.
Combine Systems for Greater Efficiency
Sector coupling, or sector integration, involves combining two or more supply and demand systems, such as heating and cooling, repurposing excess energy from one system to power another. This strategy is pivotal for maximizing efficiency, energy reuse, and decarbonizing by sourcing green energy holistically.
It helps reduce carbon emissions, enhance system reliability and resiliency, stabilize energy supply, and address the intermittent availability of renewables.
Diagram: Sector Integration Hub
A circular diagram shows various sectors (Industry, Transport, Offices, Data Center, Power Plant, Storage, Heat Pumps, Housing, Geothermal, Solar/Wind) connected by cooling, heating, and electrical grids, managed by a central monitoring system.
- Cooling Grid (Blue)
- Heating Grid (Red)
- Electrical Grid (Grey)
Reduce, Reuse, and Re-source Your Energy Supply
Whether aiming to meet global climate targets, lower CO2 tax liability, reduce operating costs, or achieve other sustainability goals, sector coupling effectively reduces CO2 emissions through waste heat recovery. This approach helps you reduce, reuse, and re-source your energy consumption, lowering dependency on fossil fuels.
Reduce Energy Consumption
Heat recovery allows you to reuse energy already present in your system, reducing the need for additional energy. Combined with other measures, such as using energy only when needed and adjusting temperature settings for greater efficiency, it significantly reduces reliance on fossil fuels.
Diagram: Energy Strategy Flow
A flow diagram illustrates energy strategy: Production and office buildings feed into reducing energy (heat recovery ?), reusing energy (air ⏱️, process cooling ❄️⚙️, data center ?️ heat recovery), and sourcing green energy (district heating ?️☀️).
Maximize Your Resource Efficiency
By reusing energy, you can maximize resource efficiency. For instance, heat normally rejected through cooling towers can be repurposed to heat your facility or processes. This includes capturing heat from ambient air or excess heat from industrial processes. When supply exceeds demand, surplus energy can be fed into the grid or stored for later use.
Re-source Power Supply with Renewables
The final step for maximum decarbonization involves heat recovery and heating electrification, integrating renewable energy sources like solar and wind into district heating and cooling systems. This creates a more sustainable energy system, reducing environmental impact with a cleaner energy supply and efficiently utilizing renewables while mitigating their variability.
Comply with EU Legislation
EU legislation is paving the way for waste heat recovery by setting standards, providing incentives, and creating opportunities for businesses and municipalities. Two directives highlight the importance of waste heat recovery and sector coupling for saving energy and meeting efficiency targets:
The 2023 Energy Efficiency Directive (EED)
A cornerstone of the EU's plan to reduce energy consumption by 32.5% by 2030. It recognizes waste heat as a valuable resource for energy savings and mandates cost-benefit analyses for cogeneration and waste heat recovery potential. It also refers to mandatory Heat Plans for Municipalities.
The Renewable Energy Directive III (RED III)
Aims to significantly increase the share of renewable energy in the EU's overall consumption to 42.5% by 2030. RED III includes provisions for shared energy communities and provides a supportive regulatory framework for integrating renewable energy, such as waste heat, into local grids.
Want to Make Sector Coupling a Reality at Your Facility?
Danfoss is your ideal partner in realizing the full potential of sector coupling and minimizing operating costs. With a proven track record and a comprehensive portfolio of high-efficiency solutions, Danfoss can help you design and implement an integrated energy system that maximizes heat recovery and accelerates your decarbonization journey.
The Danfoss Heat Recovery Station plays a key role in capturing excess heat from industrial facilities. When connected to district energy networks, heat pumps elevate this heat for broader urban use, benefiting from enhanced cooling efficiency while energy companies utilize recovered heat for sustainable heating. This collaboration improves efficiency, reduces costs, and strengthens system resilience and sustainability.
Diagram: Integrated Systems Heat Transfer
A system diagram shows heat transfer: Data Center (35°C-43°C), Danfoss Station (35°C-41°C), Heat Pump (40°C-65°C), leading to District Energy heating.
Danfoss Solutions Help You:
- Enhance heat recovery efficiency
- Increase efficiency by over 500% compared to fossil fuels
- Simplify design and business models
- Accelerate decarbonization retrofits
- Achieve 3x faster implementation
- Reduce costs by +50% compared to designs not recovering energy
Ready to Get Started with Sector Coupling?
Contact Sector Coupling Solutions to learn more about your options.
Further Information
Available on Danfoss' website: danfoss.com
Danfoss A/S
Nordborgvej 81
6430 Nordborg
Denmark
Email: danfoss@danfoss.com
CVR reg. no. 20165715
Case Studies
Green Resolution in Ringsted, Denmark:
An innovative heat recovery system enables 97% fossil-free heating in a Danish town, powering 7,000 homes and boosting efficiency by 21%.
Danish Hospital Undergoes Green Transformation:
Sector coupling is expected to help Sønderborg hospital cut 28,300 MWh energy yearly and sell 15,800 MWh excess heat—enough to supply 877 average Danish households.
Greener Heat, Smarter Solutions:
Flue gas heat recovery saves 1,500 MWh annually, powering 150 households with sustainable energy in the Danish town of Frederikshavn.
