In the energy debate, the focus is often primarily on the power of sun and wind. But surface water is also a surprising source of energy; it contains enough energy to heat buildings, but we have yet to find ways to sufficiently extract it. One way to do this could be by using heat exchangers, which could be installed in the quay walls of Amsterdam's canals or, for example, in the sheet piling along Dutch waterways. By storing heat in smart ways, we can extract heat in the summer that can then be used in the winter. Prof. David Smeulders (TU/e) discusses the potential of surface water thermal energy (aquathermie) and its role and impact in the energy debate.
David Smeulders is a professor of Energy Technology at TU/e and chair of the Engineering Thermodynamics for Energy Systems research group.