Steel sheet piles generating unlimited free energy

There is no country other than the Netherlands where steel sheet piling plays such a major role in the implementation of construction and infrastructure projects. Today, that same sheet piling can also serve as an energy source, using the energy stored in the soil or water to heat or cool homes and other buildings. The energy dam wall makes that use possible.

"This sheet pile type SPS was developed and patented in Germany. In the Benelux this sheet pile is marketed by the company Gooimeer from Almere as a licensee. In view of the climate agreement and the starting point to no longer connect new buildings to the gas grid, the energy sheet piling can make a substantial contribution to a sustainable solution to the energy issue," believes Patrick Stoelhorst, director of Gooimeer.

The steel sheet piles are activated and act as a collector of the energy present in the (ground) water. The collected energy is fed to a heat pump, which in turn converts it into heat (in winter) or coolness (in summer). In the summer months, the system can actually provide cooling, when the sheet piling acts as a heat delivery system. The efficiency is unprecedentedly high (up to 500 W/m and a potential COP of 6).

Energy available in unlimited quantities all year round

Two properties play a key role, Stoelhorst argues. ''Sheet piling is mostly used for soil and water retaining structures. Water has great storage capacity when it comes to temperature. That energy is available in unlimited quantities throughout the year. Unlike solar collectors or wind turbines, the system is active 24/7 and 365 days a year. In addition, the material steel has a high temperature-conducting property.''

The energy dam wall can simply be applied using the existing techniques of vibration or compression.

According to Stoelhorst, the system offers many advantages: ''You need those sheet pile walls anyway, so you save the installation costs. You just give them an extra function as an infinite source of energy. A sheet pile wall usually has a large surface area, which theoretically allows you to generate a lot of energy. Installation up to a depth of 25 meters is possible, you can also install the system over a lower height at a later date if necessary. The energy dam wall can simply be installed using the existing techniques of vibration or compression.''

In the Netherlands, this system is now being applied for the first time in the renovation construction of a marina in Enkhuizen. "If you look at how many kilometers of quay wall need to be replaced in the Netherlands alone, how easy it is to apply this system to that. If the heat pump also runs on solar collectors, you have a 100 % CO₂-neutral system, which ultimately yields much more than it costs.' The energy is literally at your doorstep for free!" concludes Stoelhorst