District Cooling Network
The new F-Gas regulation and the potential ban on refrigerants that produces everlasting chemicals like PFAS are a particular challenge for operators with long-term plans. Energy efficiency, long-term availability, CAPEX vs. OPEX are just some of the issues to consider. These considerations are highlighted in the first part. Actual implementations are presented in the second part. The "District Cooling Network" outlines the vision and strategic development of district cooling in Vienna, underscoring the city's ambition to become the District Cooling Capital of Europe. The initiative aims to make district cooling a daily experience for all Viennese residents by using renewable energy sources, river water, waste heat, and storage solutions. The development strategy for the city's cooling network focuses on customer potential, production facilities, and main hydraulics. By 2025, the network expanded to include multiple systems, with a projected customer connection capacity of approximately 234 MW. The network is designed to accommodate historical buildings, ensuring that district cooling is both modern and respectful of Vienna's architectural heritage. Key components of the cooling network include the use of ice storage systems, which improve energy efficiency by utilizing discharging during peak demand periods and charging during off-peak hours using lowcost electricity. The MedUNI cooling plant, featuring centrifugal chillers, absorber, ice storage and waste heat recovery systems, exemplifies the integration of advanced technologies in the network. An example of the use of heat pumps with natural refrigerants is the local heating network in Oberlaa. Here, thermal water is used to supply 1,900 households with a heat pump using ammonia. In summary, the use of efficient technology coupled with natural, sustainable cooling and heat pump technology can contribute to the decarbonization of the city of Vienna.