Cologne to Establish Europe's Largest River Water Heat Pump

Cologne is set to transform its district heating system by constructing the largest river water heat pump in Europe, utilizing the resources of the Rhine River. The new facility will boast a capacity of 150 megawatts and is being developed in partnership with MAN Energy Solutions, a company based in Augsburg.

The heat pump will provide heating for Cologne's district heating network, and its design comprises three modules, each with a capacity of 50 megawatts. Water will be extracted from the Rhine at an impressive rate of 25,000 cubic meters per hour, utilizing a closed-loop system to extract heat from the river water. This heat will then be amplified by the electrically driven heat pump, which can elevate the water temperature to as high as 110 degrees Celsius.

This heated water will be fed into Cologne's extensive district heating network, which serves the city center and the Deutz district, providing heat to approximately 50,000 households.

The site for this significant project is strategically located in the Niehl district, where RheinEnergie already operates a gas power plant, facilitating a connection to the high-voltage grid managed by Amprion.

The total cost of the heat pump system is estimated at around 280 million euros, with financial support of 100 million euros coming from both the European Union and the German government. Construction is expected to commence next year, with plans for the facility to become operational during the winter of 2027/28.

RheinEnergie's leadership emphasized the reliability and efficiency of heat pump technology, highlighting its potential as a model for harnessing the untapped energy resources of Germany's major rivers.

In recent months, MAN Energy Solutions has also launched its most powerful heat pump in Esbjerg, Denmark, which utilizes seawater as a heat source and draws energy from nearby wind farms. Other cities, such as Flensburg and Hamburg, are also investing in large-scale heat pump systems to enhance their energy efficiency and sustainability.