Smart physical models
- Combines both hydraulic and thermodynamic models
- Defines time lags and heat propagation
- Fills in the blanks with AI, based on available sensor data
Start saving energy and
reduce emissions with Gradyent
There is an increased pressure on both cost efficiency and emission reduction. Therefore, heating systems are trying to reduce temperatures while adding more sustainable heat sources. This results in highly complex heating systems.
Current Situation
Vision of modern networks
In the meantime, many district energy systems have old or even outdated control systems due to legacy in hard & software with limited or no dynamic optimization.
Current Control Systems
Modern Control Systems
The Gradyent Digital Twin is District Heating Software that is specially designed for heating systems. In this case, a digital twin is a virtual simulation of a physical heating system. This allows for multiple simulation scenarios and analytics and therefore results in the most optimal settings for the heating system, any time all the time.
Ennatuurlijk is a district heating company in the Netherlands with 40 grids and 85k connections. Learn how they want to make the Netherlands more sustainable and how the cooperation with Gradyent came into play.
Eneco is the largest district heating company in the Netherlands and one of the largest Dutch energy companies. Learn about the challenges they faced and how they tackled them together with Gradyent.
Used by some of the largest District Heating systems in Europe
Transform your heating system with the power of the Gradyent Digital Twin
Our platform creates value for the following application areas.
A common issue for District Heating systems is that heat losses are too high. This is driven by too high temperatures in the system. Additionally, we often see that it is difficult to oversee the critical constraint of the system. By simulating the grid and advanced granular demand forecasts, new insights (e.g. forward temperatures) can be found while typical constraints (e.g. minimal temperature at consumers) are always met.
In some cases, the hydraulics of the system are considered a given. Although sometimes unpredictable, pressure issues at lower temperatures occur, or unreliable pump operation results in trips. Using our holistic and dynamic modelling approach, new opportunities arise by improving both pressure and flows, leading to energy savings.
To support multiple heat sources (e.g. Geothermal) in the system and operating on lower temperatures implies questions about which heat source needs to be utilized first, second, etc. (the so-called merit order). What will become the ‘stand-still’ points then? And how does that function in times of high electricity pricing? These are complex matters but with great emissions and financial gains.
Driven by EU regulations, most of the District Heating operators have plans to invest or are already investing in smart meters. Most of the asset owners see these investments as high, mandatory, and only useful for improved invoicing processes. We also see the opportunity of using the data to granularly train the Digital Twin to an even higher extend (without compromising GDPR regulations, of course).
Peaks in the network are important drivers for the system design and therefore the costs. Currently, some operators are making complex agreements with large customers for peak shifting. With our dynamic and holistic grid approach, we can capitalize on the potential network storage to some extent without the complex agreements.
Approximately 50% of all energy consumption in the world is used for heating and cooling. District heating systems are a large portion of this. At Gradyent, we have the ambition to assist District Heating companies in applying new technologies as our Digital Twin to strongly reduce energy consumption. For our planet, more than 10% reduction of heat losses, results in the following.
More than 2.5 million tons CO2 emissions prevented annually
More than 1 billion m³ natural gas saved annually
Sector profitability up by more than 3B€ with many networks co-owned by the public
45-70 PJ (petajoule) lower heat losses
Since two years, we have been working for leading district heating companies in the DACH region such as Wien Energie, E.ON and Fernwärme Ulm. This month, we expanded our physical…
Two large heating companies in Northern Europe and customers of Gradyent show through this investment that there is a great need for the Gradyent software: Eneco, the largest heat supplier…
Finland is a ‘top 3’ country in Europe in terms of district heating adoption (50%) and percentage of renewable energy used (58%), according to the recent market report by Euroheat…
Uniper has the ambition to reduce CO2 by 50% in 2030, compared to 2019, of its power plants in Europe. The company is striving to make its district heating systems more…
The district heating system in Hengelo maximizes local waste heat opportunities and uses data and digital to optimise the system. The waste heat originates from the waste incineration company Twence….
Helen is the district heating utility of Helsinki and aims to achieve 100% carbon neutrality in their energy production by 2030, while phasing out the coal plants by 2024. About 90% of the…
Larry Fin, CEO of Blackrock, predicted that the next thousand ‘unicorns’ will be climate-tech companies, tech companies that contribute to CO2 emissions reduction. A good reason for het Financieel Dagblad…
On 14 July 2021, the European Commission published the long-awaited Fit for 55 Package, which targets achieving the EU’s 2030 goal of cutting emissions by 55% and reaching climate neutrality…
Ennatuurlijk is a district heating company in the Netherlands with 62 district heating networks that deliver more than 5.300.000 GJ heat every year to 85.000 households. The mission of Ennatuurlijk…
Get in touch
We would like to hear from you. Here is how you can reach us.
Stationsplein 45, Unit D2.114 (visitors) / Unit D2.112 (mail) 3013 AK Rotterdam
info@gradyent.ai