In Sweden, Stora Sköndal, an urban development area in the southern part of Stockholm, will become the location for the next generation of district heating. As the development grows, the newly built properties will be part of a modern energy system in which thermal energy will be used several times at different temperatures.
The ground-breaking energy system being created in Stora Sköndal is an important part of Sustainable City development.
The Stora Sköndal Foundation and municipal energy provider Stockholm Exergi AB’s long-standing collaboration to develop the Stora Sköndal area is now taking the next step.
The goal is an urban district with a new energy system that is both resource-efficient and sustainable.
Direct transfer of excess heat
The hub for the area’s energy system will be the next generation of district heating, which among other things will make it possible to transfer thermal energy between the properties in the district.
This means that excess heat from, for example, the hot water circulation and the radiators that have been used in one property can be transferred and used directly as underfloor heating in another property – a form of thermal cascading.
The energy system for Stora Sköndal will be built around district heating, but solar cells, batteries, and other energy solutions will also be a natural part of the development.
Because district heating makes use of energy in a very efficient way, electricity does not need to be used for heating, the electricity can instead be used where it does more good, for example, to charge electric vehicles (EVs).
Taking advantage of the energy directly from one property to another without having to go through a heat pump has never been done before in Stockholm Exergi’s district heating network, it is very resource-efficient. The energy system that we are going to build in Stora Sköndal is significant for the development of a new generation of district heating, said Carl Lidholm, Sales Manager at Stockholm Exergi.
Facts
About next-generation district heating
Next-generation district heating is a concept based on a local district heating network where system temperatures differ from the usual district heating network.
With lower system temperatures, the excess heat from residual heat can be used directly by another customer without having to go through a heat pump to be reheated. Instead, the heat is used several times at different temperatures – a thermal cascading.
The new local district heating system will integrated as a complement to the existing district heating network in Stora Sköndal, which over time as the development progresses, becomes part of the new district heating system.
Phased development
The new Stora Sköndal district, which includes residential, public, and commercial developments, will be expanded in stages over the coming decades.
On the 75-hectare site some 4 500 new homes and 1 500 new workplaces in business premises, preschools, and schools will be built.
The development is being run by the Stora Sköndal Foundation through its subsidiary Stora Sköndal’s Future Development AB, in close cooperation with the City of Stockholm and property development partners.
As landowners, we are guarantors that we work together at the district level, instead of each block being a separate unit. At the same time, the system means flexibility for the construction operators to choose how they want to supplement the energy supply, which benefits them as well as the district as a whole. Next-generation district heating brings us closer to our vision of a world-class sustainable district, said Tomas Krywult, CEO of Stora Sköndal’s Future Development.
The first development stage underway
In this first development stage, six property developers have been selected to build close to 1 750 homes. Heba/Åke Sundvall, Wallenstam, K2A, Nrep, Malmegårds, and Sisab will build housing, business premises, preschools, and schools.
The detailed plan for this stage is currently in the review phase and will be followed by detailed design and detailed plans in late 2023. Groundbreaking is anticipated in early 2024.
