3. Calculation method
The implementation of the calculation method for renewable cooling in the Netherlands is described in the monitoring protocol (CBS & RVO, 2022, in Dutch). Importantly, there are two calculation methods: one based on standard values and one based on measurements. Standard values should only be used for (compression) cooling devices with a cooling capacity below 1.5 megawatts and for which standard efficiency values are available. For systems larger than 1.5 megawatts, district cooling and free cooling such aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) or ground energy systems, the Delegated Regulation requires the use of measured values per reporting year.
What needs to be measured is the amount of heat extracted, the energy consumption of the cooling device and its auxiliary systems and, in the case of a distribution network, the energy consumption of the distribution system and the distribution losses. CBS has been in contact with several operators of ATES systems and found that these data are generally not measured in sufficient detail and thus not available. The figure on renewable cooling calculated by CBS therefore only includes systems for which standard values may be used. These are air conditioners (single split, multi-split, VRF, rooftop) and chillers, with a cooling capacity below 1.5 megawatts.
For the calculation method based on standard values, the key data points are the total cooling capacity and the average efficiency (SPFp) of all installed cooling systems, broken down by sector (residential or non-residential). The average efficiency determines what percentage of the cooling supply counts as renewable.