Generating and supplying heat

At Twence, we provide sustainable energy in the form of hot water, steam and electricity. Here you can find out how we produce and supply hot water and steam.

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Producing and supplying heat sustainably

Twence plays an important role in the regional energy transition. By producing heat, we are saving on the use of fossil fuels. Waste streams that can no longer be reused or recycled can be put to good use by being converted into energy. At our plant, heat consists of hot water and steam. We use this heat to provide plenty of households and businesses in Twente with energy. This way, we are able to spare the use of fossil fuels, reduce CO2 emissions and consequently prevent the further depletion of our planet.

Regional Energy Strategy

The heat generated by Twence is making an important contribution to the regional ambition: 20% of the energy consumption should be generated sustainably by 2023. Twente is also determined to contribute to the sustainability targets of the region as detailed in the Regional Energy Strategy (REST). Here, Twence is also playing an important role when it comes to supplying heat. But how do we actually do that: produce heat?

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Sustainable heat from non-reusable residual waste and biomass

In the waste-to-energy plant (AEC in Dutch), we convert non-reusable residual waste (household residual waste and industrial waste) into energy. In the biomass-to-energy plant (BEC in Dutch), we convert biomass that we are unable to process in any other way, such as waste wood and bulky green waste. This biomass is derived from bulky household waste, VFG waste and construction- and demolition waste. The walls of both incinerators are made of pipes filled with water. This water gets so hot that it turns into steam. We can directly use this steam for industrial applications. In addition, we also convert steam into hot water for heating homes.

We have a different facility for the siftings from pellets for wood-burning fireplaces: our Empyro plant, where we turn this wood into pyrolysis oil. We produce steam from the residual materials that remain after the pyrolysis process. We supply this steam to Nobian directly. The cooled steam is then transferred as heat to the Hengelo heat network. One final way of generating heat is through the fermentation of VFG waste. Fermentation produces biogas, which is converted into electricity and heat by a gas engine. The heat that is released is used in our own processes.

You can read more about how the incineration process works at Our processes.

Who receivies our sustainable heat?

We supply more than 62,500 households and companies with high-temperature heat. In principle, with our heat, it is no longer necessary to heat homes with natural gas. The hot water that leaves Twence is transported to Enschede via an underground heat pipeline. From there, the water is transported to Grolsch and to the Ennatuurlijk heat network. From Empyro, low-temperature heat will be supplied to the Hengelo heat network via Nobian.

In addition to the existing supply to Enschede (high temperature) and Hengelo (low temperature), Twence has the ambition, together with its chain partners and municipal stakeholders (or shareholders), to provide a large portion of the remaining urban area in Twente with high-temperature heat. This entails areas of Hengelo, Borne, Almelo, Oldenzaal and Haaksbergen. This concerns an additional potential equivalent to 100,000 residential homes.

We supply steam or hot water to companies with a high demand for heating and cooling, such as Nobian and Grolsch. These types of industrial companies use the sustainable heat for, amongst other things, hygienisation, the heating of buildings and production processes.

Results

Duurzame energie
Waste = energy
54% of the energy from the waste-to-energy plant is sustainable, because of the biogenic material contained in residual household and commercial waste.
Warmte
62,500 households
The steam generated by Twence is enough to supply 62,500 households.
100groen
100% green!
The steam, heat and electricity generated by our biomass power plant and composting and fermentation plant are 100% green!

Please contact us

Any questions or comments?

Do you have any questions about generating and supplying heat? We'd love to hear what's on your mind. Fill in the form and we will get in touch with you.

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