Gasunie is spearheading WarmtelinQ, one of the most ambitious and expansive sustainable energy infrastructure initiatives in the Netherlands. As the WarmtelinQ initiative progresses with the laying of pipelines, the heating system will need a digital simulation and control solution for its day-ahead nomination and daily operational control. Building on previous collaborations, the company chose Gradyent as its SaaS solution provider to deliver the capabilities WarmtelinQ needs for the next 4 years with the option to extend it with a maximum of 10 years. 

Decarbonisation is one of the driving forces behind advancements in district heating. To this end, Gasunie is spearheading WarmtelinQ, one of the most ambitious and expansive sustainable energy infrastructure initiatives in the Netherlands.  

WarmtelinQ harnesses residual heat from industries in the Rotterdam harbour and efficiently transports it to local district heating networks, for example, in The Hague. The objective is to disconnect 120,000 households in Zuid-Holland from natural gas, making WarmtelinQ one of the largest energy infrastructure projects in the Netherlands. 

Gasunie has collaborated with Gradyent for several years and used the Digital Twin platform to perform dynamic simulations of expected system behaviour, analyse hydraulic effects and optimisation opportunities, stress-testing for unwarranted breakdowns, and examine further design improvements. The collaboration had a significant impact on the design and expected operations.  

As the WarmtelinQ initiative progresses with the laying of pipelines, the heating system will need a digital simulation and control solution for its day-ahead nomination and daily operational control, prompting the issuance of a European tender to identify the right partner. Gradyent won the tender and entered a long-term collaboration with Gasunie, positioning its Digital Twin as the central simulation tool for formulating the day-ahead transport plan and live monitoring and control of the network. 

“Gasunie was looking for an innovative and knowledgeable solution and service provider for our ambitious WarmtelinQ initiative. We are happy to partner with Gradyent, who can fulfil all requirements with their solution and provide significant expertise and experience in heating at the same time.”

Jasper Eijmers, New Business Integration Manager at Gasunie

Supporting WarmtelinQ across planning and operational optimisation  

The Digital Twin platform will provide real-time simulation for locations without measurements, forecast network process conditions, and offer advice on new set points in case of deviations or for simulation model maintenance.  

Besides serving as the simulation software for establishing the day-ahead transport plan, WarmtelinQ will also use Gradyent’s Digital Twin for live operational monitoring and pump control optimisation. The solution will provide operators with a full overview of the network status and the best alternatives in case of deviations from the expected behaviour.  

This will allow WarmtelinQ to reliably execute the heat transport and promptly correct any deviations arising throughout the day. At the same time, electricity costs for pumps will be minimised through live pump control. 

Gradyent’s Digital Twin will scale in line with network expansion as WarmtelinQ adds more cities to the network in the near future.   

A standard SaaS solution with a proven track record 

WarmtelinQ's deep integration into Gasunie’s core business motivated the company to seek a long-term partner with an impressive collaboration horizon of 4-14 years. Winning the tender was a testament to Gradyent’s alignment with WarmtelinQ's requirements, in particular the one for a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution.  

Gasunie's preference for proven technology, faster implementation, predictable costs, and reduced implementation effort further solidified the selection of Gradyent as the standard solution. This choice underscores the evolving landscape of the market and reinforces Gradyent’s position as a reliable digitalisation partner for district heating companies. 

“Gradyent is very proud to have been selected for this long-term collaboration with Gasunie to jointly bring to life one of the most ambitious residual heat projects in the world.”

Peter Hulshof, COO at Gradyent