Electric utility company E.ON and real estate group Lendlease are investing in the MIND project, a mixed used site aimed at creating a space for scientific, economic, social and cultural innovation.

The grid will be powered by 100% renewable sources, including green electricity, channel water, well water and ambient air. All used energy is recycled intelligently.

“Cities and industrial agglomerations cause the largest share of CO2 emissions in Europe and thus occupy a key position on the way to an emission-free energy landscape of the future,” stated Patrick Lammers, E.ON COO.

“…solutions like ‘MIND’ are needed to supply entire metropolises with sustainable energy. The project is an important milestone; we have already implemented or are planning similar solutions in Germany and other countries in Europe”, Lammers added.

The energy concept used at MIND is based on the ectogrid system developed by E.ON, which also supplies the Medicon Village in Lund, southern Sweden, with sustainable heating and cooling.

ectogrid is a closed grid with low temperatures, where heat pumps and cooling machines in every building adjust the temperature according to demand. The process allows each building to send excess heating or cooling to other buildings, depending on their needs.

The aim of such a process is to significantly reduce energy consumption, costs and environmental impact.

E.ON is also using the ectogrid concept in other projects, such as the urban development in the Transurban.NRW real laboratory.