Vattenfall Selects Eliq for Unique Customer Engagement Trial in District Heating

District heating networks can contribute to a smart and decarbonised energy system. Today a majority of Swedish apartments are heated by district heating but most users have no clue of how much energy is used, or how they can optimise their heat apart from turning the radiator valve.

People who live in a centrally heated building don’t understand that their behaviour can help improving network efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions
–Joakim Botha, Founder and Head of Sales at Eliq

In order to raise customer engagement and optimise heat generation, Vattenfall has launched a trial in Gustavsberg, outside of Stockholm. The trial will equip homes with connected radiator valves and an app to motivate consumers to take part in optimising energy use within the community, in an effortless way, while enjoying a better indoor climate.
Vattenfall and Eliq as partners are creating a digitised, personal and user-friendly customer experience that we are testing together with our district heating customers in Gustavsberg. Together we can help our customers manage their consumption in an easier way and live fossil-free within a generation
–Ulrika Jardfelt, VP, BU Heat at Vattenfall
The app will provide customers with a personalised interface to understand their heat usage and allowing them to optimise it by smart scheduling functionality and participation in a demand-response program running in the background.
The project is carried out together with heating analytics partner QuantCo and Cosa, who provides connected thermostat valves to the participating apartments.
Vattenfall is one of Sweden’s largest utilities with 9.7 million customers across Europe using their energy. The company has a significant and growing business in district heating.
Heating and cooling constitute around half of the EU’s final energy consumption and is the biggest energy end-use sector, ahead of transport and electricity. Heat networks have been identified as a key method to decarbonise heat in cities and the sector is now growing across Europe.