Energy Production and Distribution

NIRAS could be your next consultancy provider in the green transition within energy production and distribution. Our expertise encompasses all aspects of the transition from fossil to non-fossil energy production, as we have extensive experience of CHP (combined heat and power), e.g. renewable fuels, large heat pumps and large CSP (concentrated solar power) plants combined with large-scaled thermal energy storage.

District heating systems

In Denmark, for more than 100 years, the common approach to the heating of buildings in cities has been through district heating systems. We are a key player in this sector and are an important innovative part of this successful energy transformation journey.

Our services within district energy include both energy production, storage and as well as distribution and consumers issues. NIRAS is actively involved in the optimization process of district heating systems. We facilitate planning for businesses as well as master-planning and strategic planning, feasibility studies, conceptual design, technical design, procurement processes and supervision of construction sites, renovation and improved efficiency of existing facilities, pipelines and distribution networks – all within the context of CAPEX and OPEX.

With regard to planning, operation, maintenance, we have considerable experience of providing advice on energy savings, renewable fuels, maintenance, planning and construction of plants, production technology, construction and upgrade of pipeline networks, among others.

From fossil fuels to renewables

There is a global shift taking place in the way that energy is generated with fossil fuels increasingly being replaced with renewable options. Climate change, energy security and, in some cases, cost are key drivers for this change. NIRAS is a leading company in facilitating this change and has worked with clients in Denmark and internationally to decarbonise their energy generation activities.

In Denmark, NIRAS is a leading consultancy company in the field of district heating and as well district cooling. We provide consultancy on the implementation of heat pumps for both district heating and district cooling – including the establishment of new large district cooling plants, often in synergy with district heating for optimum energy utilisation.

During the last 30 years, it has become common practice in Denmark and in other Scandinavian and Northern European countries to use biomass such as straw, wood chips, waste and biogas as primary fuels instead of coal, oil and natural gas for production of steam, hot water, chilled water and electricity. We are the frontrunners of this energy transformation in terms of expertise, experience and capabilities. We have gained unique expertise in these areas and are known as one of the leading engineering consultancy companies within sustainable energy.

New technologies

Recently the “new fuel” to be included in the fuel mix for district heating has been waste heat from neighbouring industries and sewage treatment plants or heat from the surrounding environment as for example seawater or ambient air. Within the last years, we have successfully delivered numerous projects where waste heat from industrial processes are being recovered for district heating and cooling purposes by use of heat pump solutions (electrical, absorption).

Another new technology we are deploying currently is the use of seasonal energy storage (Pit Thermal Energy Storage), where several storages have been constructed during the later years, primarily in conjunction with augmented thermal solar panel systems to increase their coverage of the total heat demand.

Our consultancy services

Within district heating and cooling projects we offer you following consultancy services:

• Strategic Energy Planning
• Screening and Master Planning
• Feasibility studies
• Network planning and modelling – Termis, EnergyPro, Energis, Mentor Planner, etc.
• Conceptual design, basic design and detailed design
• Pipe stress calculations
• Energy fuels, new technologies and heat pumps
• New build, renovations and optimisations of production and grid
• Energy storage
• Thermal solar heat, biogas and biomass, biomass to energy
• Energy savings and energy efficiency
• Low temperature network optimization
• CO2-reduction and sustainability (ESG, SDG, etc.)
• Project management, health and safety at works, supervision
• Call for tenders and contracting
• Construction management and supervision
• Digitization and big data
• Energy system integration (sector-coupling)