Geothermal district heating in Westland
Overview
Located in the province of South Holland, Westland is a municipality in the western Netherlands with a population of around 110,000. As part of the Metropolitan Region Rotterdam-The Hague, Westland thrives on its bustling greenhouse horticulture industry.
Since 2018, Westland has been home to a geothermal project, Trias Westland, which serves both greenhouse horticulture businesses and residential buildings. Trias Westland, a collaborative initiative by and for greenhouse horticultural entrepreneurs, embodies the community's commitment to sustainable energy. Through a cooperative model, these companies join forces with major regional partners to transition towards a greener, more sustainable energy future.
Technical details
The geothermal project features a district heating system comprising two geothermal doublets, Trias Westland 1 and 2, located 2.3 kilometers underground, along with a research borehole at a depth of 4 kilometers, specifically designed for greenhouse horticulture entrepreneurs.
With the addition of a second geothermal heat source in 2021, Trias Westland now provides sustainable heat to an additional 30 greenhouse horticulture companies, bringing the total to 56 companies and 345 homes. This expansion boosts Trias Westland's total production capacity from 24 MWh to over 40 MWh, equivalent to the annual heat consumption of 35,000 to 40,000 households.
The expansion was driven by strong advocacy from several greenhouse horticulture companies that were previously unable to utilize the heat from the first doublet, underscoring the project's success and its significant impact on the community.
Investment history
In 2011, the agreement to develop the Trias Westland project was signed. By 18 January 2016, the European tender for the project was published. This tender encompassed the necessary activities for the realization of the geothermal doublet. Due to the involvement of two companies with public shareholders bound by the Procurement Act, large contracts for Trias Westland had to be tendered at the European level.
The tendering procedure unfolded in two phases. Initially, a selection phase allowed interested parties to register. The selected parties then advanced to the registration phase, during which they received comprehensive documentation to submit their offers. This procedure continued until the summer of 2016, culminating in the selection of the winning offer.
In 2017, the Trias Westland 1 project commenced with the drilling of the first geothermal well, which became operational in 2018. This first phase required an investment of €50 million.
Greenhouse horticultural entrepreneurs pay an annual fixed fee based on actual costs for connecting to the heat network. They utilize the heat at real cost, benefiting from any cost reductions. Any unused heat can be traded among themselves, allowing them to maintain low costs and maximize the efficiency of the heat source.
Public Funding Overview
Energy Innovation Demonstration
In November 2014, Trias Westland applied for and received a €1.8 million Demonstration Energy Innovation (DEI) grant. This funding aimed to offset the high investment costs and risks associated with initial drilling for deep geothermal energy.
DIT Fund
Rabobank Westland contributed to the project through the DIT fund, providing €250,000 in sponsorship and €400,000 as an interest-free loan.
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
An ERDF grant of €830,000 was awarded to support the project.
Westland Agenda
In early 2015, the Municipality of Westland granted Trias Westland €850,000 from the Westland Agenda, comprising €350,000 for project development and €500,000 as an interest-free loan.
Westland Heat Vision
In the Dutch Climate Agreement of 2019, the Netherlands committed to reducing emissions by 50% by 2030 and 95% by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. The country is divided into 30 energy regions, each of which developed a Regional Energy Strategy (RES) in 2021 to translate national goals into regional plans. These strategies outline future energy procurement methods and detail specific projects such as the installation of solar panels, wind turbines, and energy-neutral heating and cooling systems for buildings. While the RES provides a potential path for each region, final decisions are made by the municipalities. The initial version, RES 1.0, was published on July 1, 2021, with updates scheduled every two years.
In the "RES 1.0 Rotterdam-The Hague," Westland focuses on geothermal heat extraction and the potential development of a heat network, primarily utilizing residual heat from the port and geothermal sources. This initiative aims to establish the Westland Heat System.
The Westland heat vision explores sustainable heat options in the region. While heat networks may be less suitable for rural areas, where individual solutions like heat pumps are preferred, the plan suggests that village centers could benefit most from a geothermal heat network for residential heating.
Energy efficiency has played a key role in the design of the complex, which was built according to high insulation standards, with triple glazed windows, skylights to save electricity for lighting and an integrated ventilation, heating and cooling system. This allows for energy savings of 22.584 t CO2 per year.
Summary
Depth of drilling and total length of wells: 2 geothermal doubles at a depth of 2.3 kilometres and a research borehole at a depth of 4 kilometres.
Geothermal power: 40 MWh: 24.2 MWth (Trias Westland 1) + 15 MWth (Trias Westland 2)8
Temperature of the water drawn: 90 degrees
Units covered: A total of 56 companies and 345 homes
Total amount of investments: € 50 million (Trias Westland 1)
Public contribution: Energy Innovation Demonstration: €1.8 million. DIT fund: €250,000 sponsorship and €400,000 as an interest-free loan. ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) grant of €830,000. Westland Agenda: grant of € 850,000 (€350,000 for the development of the project and €500,000 as an interest-free loan).