Ivančice has reduced its reliance on gas by using a cascade of heat pumps installed by ČEZ Energo. During the summer, the new eco-friendly system fully covered hot water production, proving to be an efficient and sustainable solution for the town’s nearly 10 000 residents.
Ivančice as an Inspiration for Sustainable Energy
Other Czech towns could take inspiration from Ivančice. Back in 2019, the town received recognition for its small hydroelectric power plant, whose output is sufficient to supply electricity to 250 family homes. Now, Ivančice can boast another energy-efficient achievement. With the use of MasterTherm heat pumps, a cascade system was built next to the local heating plant. This system provided nearly all hot water for the town and its residents from spring through autumn this year.
How the System Works Within the District Heating Network
“The heat pumps in Ivančice are part of the district heating system and are dedicated exclusively to domestic hot water production. The local network also includes gas boilers, electric boilers, photovoltaic panels, and a gas-powered cogeneration unit for combined heat and power generation. While the cogeneration unit and gas boilers remain key during the winter, the use of heat pumps during the summer season extends the lifespan of critical technologies and reduces heating costs,” explains Jiří Svoboda, CEO of Master Therm. He also notes that with the growing deployment of solar energy, the entire system will become even more efficient in the future.
Recognition for Smart Integration of Energy Technologies
The heat pumps are part of the Energocentrum Ivančice project, led by ČEZ ESCO. The project brings together cutting-edge technologies in modern, low-emission district heating and integrates them for maximum synergy. Energocentrum was awarded first place in the Smart Cities 2023 competition, organized by the Smart City Innovations Institute, in the category for towns with up to 10 000 inhabitants.
“Winning this award is recognition of ČEZ ESCO's ongoing efforts to help businesses and municipalities optimize their energy and heating systems. It’s also a great responsibility moving forward—as many cities will soon face heating system modernization. In Ivančice, we are already utilizing the broadest possible portfolio of energy technologies to explore the best ways to combine them. I believe the insights we gather here will benefit both Ivančice and other Czech and Moravian towns,” said Kamil Čermák, CEO of ČEZ ESCO.
High-Performance System Ready for the Future
The upgraded system underwent its first full trial run outside the heating season this summer - and successfully replaced gas boilers entirely. The installation uses MasterTherm BoxAir 60 ZHX heat pumps, which are specially designed and developed for high-temperature applications. Thanks to the cascading setup of eight units, the system in Ivančice delivers a total output of 251 kW at an outdoor air temperature of 20 °C and a water outlet temperature of 65 °C. The maximum water temperature can even reach 75 °C. This performance cascade enables the use of multiple smaller heat pumps instead of one large industrial unit. A further advantage is redundancy: if one unit requires servicing or experiences a malfunction, the others remain operational.
The project’s goal is to demonstrate a possible future for modern district heating - combined with the shift to electromobility, reduced dependence on fossil fuels, and digital energy management. It showcases the advantages of diversified heat production from multiple sources within a single location.
