KLP Eiendom (KLP Properties)

Cutting peak demand at a large office building

Trondheim - Norway

peak demand reduction: ~38%
Annual savings: 120k NOK
Operational disturbance: 0

The challenge

Reduce strain on the current operating heat pumps and district heating system. To increase energy efficiency and lower peak consumption from the grid.

The solution

A Thermal Box in a containerised format was installed just outside the building, occupying only a few square metres of outdoor space. Because of the building’s specific requirements, this single-container solution was chosen instead of our standard multi-module setup.

The results

Annual savings of around NOK 120,000. 30% lower power demand, 20% lower energy costs and 10% higher efficiency in the heating system. Head of Sustainability at KLP, Jonas Brenntrø, states: "At KLP Eiendom, we are working purposefully to reduce energy use in our buildings. This solution makes it possible to store heat, and use it when demand is at its highest, which both saves energy and improves building operations."

Common questions

Got questions about thermal storage?

From PCM chemistry and lifetime to indoor vs outdoor installs and typical payback — the answers are in the full FAQ.

Read all questions

What is thermal energy storage?

The term is used when storing energy as heat or cold, which can be released at a later stage. The heat or cold is usually stored when energy is cheap and then released when the heating or cooling demand is at a peak or the cost of energy is high.

What is PCM?

PCM means Phase Change Material and refers to any material that changes state, for example from solid to liquid, when reaching a certain temperature. This phase change enables large amounts of energy to be absorbed or released. Water is one PCM, storing cold at zero degrees Celsius by changing phase to ice. Cartesian uses a wide variety of other materials, such as bio-based waxes, to store heat or cold at different temperatures.

Is the Thermal Box and the PCM flammable?

For applications with HVAC systems, Cartesian's Thermal Box is not considered flammable. While some PCM might be flammable when they reach temperatures above 100 °C or more, the Thermal Box is designed to eliminate any risks of reaching flammability conditions in operations.

Are PCMs safe?

Cartesian offers only safe PCMs and primarily uses bio-based PCMs in the Thermal Box. The PCM will stay in the Thermal Box for its whole lifetime and is not consumed during operation. The Thermal Box is also designed to avoid any risk of PCM leakage.

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