At a time when energy has become extremely expensive and there isn’t enough energy for everyone, it’s necessary to use energy wisely. Including here at DTU. The temperature in our offices, classrooms, laboratories, workshops etc. has been turned down to 19 degrees. In addition, the lighting in outdoor areas and indoor common areas has been lowered where possible and where it’s not considered unsafe.
These initiatives are part of DTU’s current focus on energy savings on electricity and heating, and are similar to those of other universities.
“DTU is part of society and follows social developments. We do this because we want to be environmentally conscious, but also because we want to reduce our costs and make sure that the heating that’s available benefits those who need it. There’s talk that there may be energy interruptions because there isn’t enough for everyone, so we need to be extra careful with the energy we use and only use what’s necessary to carry out our work and research activities,” says DTU’s Director of Facilities Anders B. Møller.
Acting on the big energy guzzlers
He points out that DTU has a special responsibility to find energy savings because the university has an energy-intensive operation. The biggest energy consumers at DTU aren’t heating or lighting, but the operation of IT and server rooms, cooling systems, experiments in the larger research facilities, and ventilation systems in laboratories.
Therefore, DTU is in dialogue with its departments to investigate how to manage the use of electricity to reduce consumption at the times when it is most expensive. One of the ways is to put a timer function on machines so they’re not on standby all the time but are only activated when they are in use.
Another way is to optimize operating times by setting up electricity meters that make users aware of how much energy they’re actually using. This should help create behavioural changes. We can also investigate whether there are external users who can help finance the increased electricity costs. And finally, we can investigate whether it’s possible to stop ventilation systems or let them run at times when the power is cheap.
Research won’t be shut down
“We can reduce activities and unnecessary use of energy, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of research,” says Anders B. Møller.
“We have a responsibility to develop solutions to the energy crisis we’re facing. In terms of research, we’re in a strong position in the field of energy, where we conduct research into solar and wind energy, batteries, CO2 capture, green fuels, Power-to-X, and more. Sustainable solutions that help solve our societal challenges. So of course we won’t be shutting down research. We’ll continue the good work. Just with reduced energy consumption.”
We’ve made a lot of progress
DTU is already well advanced in saving energy, and continues to find energy-efficient methods. In 2019, DTU started using a new form of heating supply.
Previously, much of the heating came from gas-fired boiler heating. DTU’s heating supply now comes from the waste management and energy company Vestforbrænding, and the heating is composed of waste, electric heating, and gas. This has reduced carbon emissions for heating by more than 50 per cent. Today, DTU and Vestforbrænding collaborate on planning and establishing a 2-3 MW heat pump solution that moves excess heat from DTU’s internal cooling water ring to DTU’s internal heating system.
DTU will gradually switch to other agreements if they demonstrate a significantly smaller environmental impact and also work actively to influence the national energy mix by purchasing power from renewable energy sources.
DTU is also well ahead in the field of lighting. All existing light masts at DTU Lyngby Campus have switched to new LED technology—this applies to both light masts and lamp heads. This results in a power saving of approx. 50 per cent. A total of 800 light masts have been modernised. In addition to the switch to LED technology, the light masts have been designed so that modules can be added for light control, motion sensors, and other smart technologies.
Finally, we’ve gathered the solar cells in large fields at DTU Electrical Engineering because it provides greater security of supply and makes it easier to service the plant. In addition, the nearest departments can make use of the entire photovoltaic system for research. DTU will continuously install solar cells on the roofs as new buildings are built—and where it makes sense.
Everyone can make a difference
All energy initiatives count. Therefore, DTU encourages employees and students to bring their good habits from home and use them at DTU. This means turning off the light and heat and unplugging equipment that uses energy. If everyone helps, it can make a big difference, says Anders B. Møller:
“You don’t necessarily need to unplug if you have a small consumption. But if you have a large consumption and, say, go on holiday for a couple of weeks, it makes sense. Even though we have a significant energy consumption, we can make some changes in our behaviour. This could reduce energy consumption by between 5 and 10 per cent, which will have a significant impact on DTU's energy savings as well as a major economic impact on current prices.”
