Heat pumps using HFO-1234ze(E) reduce CO₂ emissions at Schiphol Airport
Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands aimed to achieve sustainable heating and cooling for its office buildings, terminals, and piers. Five heat pumps using HFO-1234ze(E) were installed in addition to four heat pumps installed a few years ago. The airport uses Thermal Energy Storage (TES) systems, which store thermal energy underground. New buildings are equipped with TES, and existing buildings are transitioning away from gas, leading to significant reductions in CO₂ emissions.
A collective TES was designed for several Schiphol buildings, requiring the connection of heat pumps and dry coolers to three buildings via underground pipes, with each building having its own heat pump station. One building still relied on gas-fired boilers and chillers for heating and cooling, and the five heat pumps using HFO-1234ze(E) were installed. These heat pumps are compact and modular, making sustainability possible in challenging locations, and have 99.5% reliability, using screw compressor technology and have minimized refrigerant charge. In addition, one industrial heat pump was also installed in the parking basement to deliver 70°C water by boosting the water from the other heat pumps to 70°C where needed, providing an economical solution.
The new sustainable thermal system can simultaneously provide heating and cooling in different parts of the building if desired. The old chillers in the parking basement were replaced by heat pumps, with existing gas boilers remaining on standby to assist if needed.
With the collective TES for three buildings, Schiphol saves approximately 625,000 m3 of natural gas per year. The airport aims to have all of their buildings off the gas grid by 2030, using thermal energy storage systems in new constructions and phasing out gas in existing premises.
Source manufacturer’s information also reported in Cooling Post.