GIS AG in Schötz reached an important milestone in its sustainability strategy this autumn. Just in time for the cold season, an innovative heating system was put into operation that significantly reduces the company's carbon footprint.
At the centre of the new system is a CO₂ heat pump with an output of 700 kW. It reliably supplies both the production halls and the office building with heat. The electricity required comes entirely from CO₂-neutral Swiss hydropower. Thanks to the switch, GIS AG saves around 110,000 litres of heating oil per year, making an important contribution to reducing the use of fossil fuels.

Game changer with heat pump based on cooling technology

The idea of climate-friendly heating developed over several years. As early as 2019, when the new production hall was built, a pellet silo was planned that was never used, but now serves as the location for the heat pump system. An initial attempt to implement a heat pump in 2021 failed due to a lack of cost-effectiveness. Two years later, Stalder & Felber AG brought new momentum to the project with the idea of using state-of-the-art cooling technology. They proposed that the heat pump be manufactured by Truttmann AG, a company specialising in refrigeration technology. This pioneering solution for industrial heating technology would ultimately prove to be the game changer that was needed.

Step by step to an efficient heat supply

After a short planning phase, the installation of the system began in spring 2024. A central component was the installation of 30 evaporators on the roof of the warehouse as well as increasing the house connection to 800 amps. Since October, the heating system has been reliably supplying the approximately 12,000 m² of operating space with heat. A particular advantage is the ability to generate high flow temperatures of up to 75 °C, which is ideal for supplying the large production halls with warm air using air heaters.
The efficiency of the heat pump is currently being further increased through continuous optimisation. The current COP value (coefficient of performance) of the system is approx. 3.84 at 0°C, which means that 3.84 kW of heat is generated from 1 kW of electricity. There are also plans to include a nearby apartment block in the heating network in spring 2025.