Heating and Cooling Solutions for Utilities

Today’s utility service providers are expected to be at the forefront of the energy transformation. The electrification of heat will be key in driving down emissions, not only in industry but in districts and regions as well.

District Heating and Cooling

Refrigeration and heat recovery are effectively the same processes, which is why Johnson Controls Industrial Refrigeration is also a veteran in district heating and cooling. Long before the growth of green technologies, we were delivering heat pumps for large and prestigious district heating projects all over Europe.

Under the European Green Deal Europe has committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 55% (from 1990 levels) by 2030 and has put climate change and the energy transition at the heart of its economic recovery – providing economic incentives for the implementation of low-carbon technologies and energy efficiency. Heat pumps are an important part of the equation.

Large heat pumps based on refrigeration technology support decarbonization across Europe by moving a larger share of heating from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Their much higher energy efficiency – typically 500% compared to 95% for a gas boiler – also delivers improved economics in many situations, and increasingly so at utility scale.

Johnson Controls works with customers on a daily basis to demonstrate that the case for replacing fossil-fuelled boilers with heat pumps makes sense in terms of both business and sustainability.


Cityscape with high-rise buildings in the background and greenery in the foreground

Heat Pump or Boiler - What’s the Business Case?

The electrification of heat through heat pumps (HPs), where the electricity to drive the HPs comes from renewable sources, is seen as a key technology in cutting carbon emissions in the industrial sector. Their use is also an integral part of decarbonising heat in the creation of smart, sustainable cities.

Read the White Paper

The JCI Advantage

Our reliable, efficient solutions based on years of experience and industry expertise help you maximise the potential of your district heating or cooling project for residential and non-residential applications. Our unrivalled OEM design capabilities and full lifecycle services give you peace of mind and set you up for long-term success.

Whether the source of your heating or cooling project comes from industrial processes, power stations, data centres, waste treatment facilities, or from renewable sources like sea water, rivers, lakes, geothermal and ground water, we have the right solution to meet your needs.

Heat pumps are a simple, proven and mature technology that can be integrated into complex systems to interact with multiple sources of heat in multiple scenarios. Johnson Controls' experience across multiple countries allows us to operate worldwide, utilising the best practices learned from years of product development and solution expertise.

How to decarbonize a super hospital - Sustainable district energy for New Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark

Discover how we supported New Aalborg University Hospital in Denmark with a highly effective and sustainable cooling system that uses cool water from a chalk lake. This district energy project is up to eight times more efficient than conventional cooling solutions and saving 500 to 700 tonnes of CO2 annually.

Download the case study

Product Portfolio

We offer a complete range of products customised to suit your goals and requirements. We will work with you to find the optimum solution and seek the subject matter experts in our organisation to provide optimum support for each project.

Johnson Controls holds a large portfolio which span across refrigerants, technologies and compressor types, thereby enabling us to optimise a solution for each individual customer which will maximise the project investment. We support projects from the cradle/discovery/feasibility to commissioning and throughout the value generation with after-market solutions.

Our industrial products are manufactured in our own factories thereby protecting supply chains and allowing full visibility through the project process.

Discover our Sabroe heat pumps here
Screw Heat Pump by Sabroe

Powering Sustainability with Heat Pumps for District Heating and Cooling

Today, utility service providers are expected to be forerunners in the energy transformation process reducing the European carbon foot print. Johnson Controls develops district heating and cooling solutions that help lower emissions and reduce energy requirements for governments, cities and corporations.

Watch the video below to find out how Johnson Controls is a critical enabler of our modern lifestyles.

Contact us today to discuss your Industrial Refrigeration requirements with a Johnson Controls expert

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