Learning from lizards and snakes
E.ON's ectogrid™ network takes a lead from ‘ectothermic’ (that’s cold blooded) animals to create a heating and cooling system that is the foundation of cities of the future.
We live in power hungry times where urbanisation is growing at a rapid rate, meaning cities worldwide need to find ways to grow sustainably along with their swelling populations. In the UK, 2020 figures show 88% of the population already live in urban areas whereas analysts predict that by 2050, 68% of the global population will live in towns and cities1.
As the demand for energy grows in these rapidly expanding cities, research and development into new and innovative ways to create energy is focused on clean, sustainable sources that have minimal impact on the natural environment during production and low, or zero, greenhouse gas emissions when in use.
How does ectogrid™ do this?
ectogrid™ combines the best performance elements of heat pumps and cooling machines with those from energy distribution grids in a new and novel way. It connects the city with a cool and flexible grid that distributes thermal energy flows between neighbours.
Buildings connected to the grid make energy deposits and withdrawals as required, which means that the energy demands from all the buildings are balanced against each other.
World's first ectogrid™
This innovative new energy solution has been developed by E.ON and the first ectogrid™ is in operation at Medicon Village in Sweden, a research and development complex dedicated to advancing knowledge in the life sciences.
The Medicon Village ectogrid™ connects 15 commercial and residential buildings, all of which have different heating and cooling needs. With the entire network connected, it will cut Medicon Village's energy consumption by approximately 78%, from 10 GWh heating and 4 GWh cooling to as little as 3 GWh of supplied energy. This will see its energy costs reduced by around 20% too.
Silvertown is E.ON’s latest – and the UK’s first – development to take up ectogrid™ as its energy source. The ground-breaking development by Lendlease will see the former docklands industrial area transformed into a major urban centre of about 6,500 homes and major commercial space.
At the heart of this low carbon, sustainable, community energy system is ectogrid™ managing a combination of reversible air source heat pumps and large air-cooled chillers will be managed from a purpose-built energy centre to meet the entire heating and cooling demand.
Future of ectogrid™
Currently available in the UK, Italy, Sweden and Germany, businesses can tap into this innovative new energy to improve environmental performance and cut costs through a range of investment options that can flexibly adapt with changing business needs.
Meaning the growth our cities will see over the next 30 years can be built on sustainable energy from the outset.