Study Visit in Denmark: Heat Pumps in Ry and Viborg – Practical Experiences from Two Installations
- Jan 26
- 2 min read
In connection with the HT-HP Symposium in Copenhagen, EKA’s Jörgen and Juris Pomerancevs visited two district heating plants featuring heat pump installations supplied by Fenagy: Ry Varmeværk and Viborg Varmeværk.
Ry Varmeværk
This district heating plant supplies heat to approximately 3,450 customers in the local community. The annual heat production amounts to 71,000 MWh.
The plant utilizes several different heat production technologies: wood chip boilers, electric boilers, oil-fired boilers, and gas-fired boilers. In addition, it includes a geothermal heat pump, solar thermal energy, and a 5,000 m³ thermal storage tank.
An air-to-water heat pump using CO₂ as the refrigerant was installed in 2024. Its capacity varies between 8 and 12 MW depending on the outdoor temperature.
📌 More information: fenagy.dk/en/case-ry
Viborg Varmeværk
In Viborg, a former waterworks building located by Nørresø has been converted into a district heating production facility based on heat pumps. Two heat pumps with a combined capacity of approximately 6.5 MW utilize groundwater as a heat source during the winter and lake water during the summer.
The facility is expected to deliver 40,000–50,000 MWh annually, corresponding to approximately 15–18% of Viborg’s total heat production.
📌 More information: danskfjernvarme.dk/viborg
“Both installations demonstrate the importance of selecting the right technology for the right application – it affects both service life and operational performance. In Denmark, large heat pumps are already being used to provide ancillary services to the electricity grid, creating a potential revenue stream for plant owners. However, what is possible depends on both the refrigerant and the manufacturer, so it is important to understand the practical limitations.”Comments Juris Pomerancevs, EKA Baltic.
As an independent consultant, EKA follows the implementation of large-scale heat pumps from both technical and commercial perspectives across a wide range of system solutions.
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