mySMARTLife researches sustainable heat supply in Hamburg-Bergedorf


Hamburg University of Applied Science (HAW) is an academic consortium member of mySMARTLife researching energy as well as resource efficiency of energy, mobility and infrastructure measures.  In the Hamburg demonstration site Bergedorf and the new created quarter “Am Schilfpark”, HAW is involved in the sustainable heat supply of the area.

The local heating network in the new neighbourhood area supplies a total of 273 apartments with heating energy and hot water. With the help of two combined heat and power units and two peak load boilers, the heat supply already has low CO2 emissions. However, the emissions are to be reduced even further with the planned project: From mid-2020, the natural gas used for the heat supply will be mixed with up to 30% hydrogen (H2) to test operation with fluctuating hydrogen contents within gas. In addition, the conversion back into electricity will also be tested: Surplus electricity from renewable energies can be temporarily stored in the form of hydrogen and then converted back into electricity in the combined heat and power units.

Hydrogen is an energy carrier that can be produced in a climate-neutral way with the help of surplus electricity from renewable energy sources and can be used in various areas. For example, by adding hydrogen to natural gas, emissions from the heat supply of buildings can be reduced. "Am Schiffspark" should help to test the admixture of H2 in natural gas and to be able to implement it in the future for other regions and on a larger scale.

The Competence Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CC4E) of HAW Hamburg is working with the joint partners Gasnetz Hamburg, enercity Contracting Nord GmbH and the district of Bergedorf to implement this sub-project of mySMARTLife. In Bergedorf, sector coupling relevant to energy system transformation is being promoted, which CC4E is investigating in various projects.

More information (in German)