Bosch facility in Portugal puts geothermal heat pump system into operation
The geothermal heat pump facility of Bosch in Braga, Portugal (source: Bosch)
Carlo Cariaga
25 Jun 2024
A geothermal heat pump system is contributing the fossil fuel-free operations of Bosch industrial facility in Braga, Portugal.
The facility of Bosch under the Car Multimedia division in Braga, Portugal has installed a geothermal heating and cooling system as part of a wider initiative to eliminate the use of natural gas as an energy source at the site. This is a major step in reducing the carbon footprint of the Braga facility, which is the largest Bosch company in Portugal and the main private employer in Braga.
The geothermal system consists of 140 geothermal probes reaching to a depth of 133 meters which then provide supply to a water-cooled heat pump. The use of this geothermal system has resulted in a significant reduction in carbon emissions, estimated at around 600 tons of CO2 per year. Developed and implemented between 2022 and 2023, it is considered one of the largest geothermal plants in Portugal.
The geothermal heat pump project was implemented through an investment of EUR 2 million and is part of the PRR (Recovery and Resilience Plan) framework for the decarbonization of industry, meeting the objectives for its implementation: “reduction of emissions and conservation of natural resources; continuous improvement of energy performance; cost reduction and optimization of investments for energy efficiency”.
The Braga facility produces a wide-ranging portfolio of electronic products, mainly navigation systems and car radios for the automotive industry. The plant has a Research & Development department, an Electronic Service and a Centre of Bosch IT and Electronic Services, both responsible for Iberia.
Fossil fuel-free operations
The geothermal project builds upon the previous work to install 5,934 photovoltaic modules at the Braga facility capable of generating 5 GWh of electricity annually. With the geothermal system now also operation, the facility has discontinued the use of fossil fuels and runs exclusively on renewable energy.
“This decarbonization project is very relevant and significant for the Bosch site in Braga, as it reflects the work we are developing within the scope of our commitment to sustainability, both as a company and to society in general,” said Carlos Ribas, Technical Director of Bosch in Braga.
“This is not an isolated project, as it fits within the energy transition strategy that Bosch is implementing across all business areas, whether by applying measures and solutions that promote energy efficiency at its various locations or in the development of services and the production of technologies and products that will help consumers use various energies more efficiently and sustainably.”
The project’s basic concept also includes a set of additional measures, involving various complementary solutions: energy recovery from existing infrastructure, particularly from compressed air production and chilled water production equipment; high seasonal efficiency heat pump and chiller systems; and the continuous monitoring and optimization of the technical management of buildings to make the control of HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems more autonomous and efficient.
Combined, these measures result in a saving of approximately 5,740 MWh of natural gas, which corresponds to an annual reduction of 1,160 tons of CO2 emissions.
Source: Bosch Portugal
