Frequently Asked Questions About WarmtelinQ

WarmtelinQ is the pipeline that transports residual heat from the Port of Rotterdam to our region. Residual heat is heat released during an industrial process that can no longer be used for any other purpose. WarmtelinQ pipelines are already being laid in some of our neighboring municipalities. To heat homes, additional pipelines are also needed within the municipality that connect to WarmtelinQ.

A shared heating system, also known as a district heating network, is a solution that serves multiple homes and buildings at the same time. It can heat an entire street, neighborhood, or district. In a district heating network, hot water flows from a source (such as waste heat from the Port of Rotterdam) through underground pipes to all connected homes.

In line with the national Climate Agreement, the Municipality of Voorschoten aims to have all homes and buildings heated entirely without natural gas by 2050.

About 80 percent of the homes in Voorschoten are suitable for a district heating network. Cost is a key factor in making that decision. Other homes, for example, are better suited for a heat pump because that option is more cost-effective for them—perhaps because these homes are very well insulated.

That depends on whether a district heating network will be installed on your street. It also depends on whether you want to connect to it yourself—if you own your home—or whether your landlord wants to connect it. If you are a member of a homeowners’ association, you must decide together whether to participate in a district heating network.

Usually, yes. But we look for the most cost-effective solution. If homes are spaced far apart, a district heating network may be less suitable. Or if a home is extremely well-insulated, for example. But it also depends on the heat supplied by the district heating network. The temperature of the heat supplied by WarmtelinQ ranges from 55 to 75 degrees Celsius. There are also district heating networks that supply heat at lower temperatures. Those are suitable for very well-insulated homes.

No. There just needs to be a place for the district heating delivery unit. Essentially, the delivery unit is the boiler for the district heating user. The delivery unit is the link between the district heating network and the heating system and hot water tap in the home.

The residual heat doesn't run out. What you might mean is that companies in Rotterdam need to become more sustainable. But even once they've become more sustainable, they'll still have residual heat. 

Residual heat is generated by industrial processes that are not yet sustainable. If this heat is not utilized in a heat network, it is discharged unused into surface water and/or the atmosphere. The heat is CO₂-free because it has already been used in industrial processes and would otherwise be discarded unused. The Climate Agreement and the EU’s “Fit for 55” program stipulate that industry, too, must significantly reduce CO₂ emissions and become more sustainable by 2030, and must be CO₂-neutral by 2050. However, even sustainable production processes release heat that can be utilized in heat networks. The industry (Rotterdam-Moerdijk Energy Strategy Cluster) has indicated that it expects to have even more residual heat available in 2050 than it does today.

There will likely be some heat loss between Rotterdam and Voorschoten, but this has been taken into account. The temperature of the hot water will remain high enough.

If a district heating network is being installed in your area, you can explore the options with the other members of your homeowners’ association. It is important, however, that enough people are willing to connect to the network. You can seek advice from the municipality or the energy information center, and they will refer you to the appropriate resources. Homeowners’ associations are a special target group when it comes to district heating networks and receive special attention from the municipality.  

If by “arranging something else” you mean that you can choose a different heating method, and you are a homeowner, then that is correct. You cannot choose your own heat supplier. That is handled by a heating company, which provides service to the entire town of Voorschoten.

Heat from WarmtelinQ in Voorschoten is not expected to be available until at least 2030. For each cluster of homes that are compatible with one another, the municipality is developing a heating plan in collaboration with residents, housing authorities, community organizations, and other partners. The plan will outline the best solution for heating those homes sustainably and how we will work together to achieve that.

Connecting to a district heating network is not mandatory. You remain free to choose a different heating solution.

No, that's not possible.

Voorschoten has reserved two locations (see yellow outline in the image) near Hofweg. A heat transfer station—as the name suggests—is needed to transfer heat from the WarmtelinQ pipeline to the local pipelines that may be installed in Voorschoten. It will also house a system that provides supplemental heating when it’s cold or in case of emergencies.