Geothermal heat pump facility of Bosch in Braga
The facility of Bosch under the Car Multimedia division in Braga, Portugal has installed a geothermal heating and cooling system as part of a wider initiative to eliminate the use of natural gas as an energy source at the site. This is a major step in reducing the carbon footprint of the Braga facility, which is the largest Bosch company in Portugal and the main private employer in Braga.
The geothermal system consists of 140 geothermal probes reaching to a depth of 133 meters which then provide supply to a water-cooled heat pump. The use of this geothermal system has resulted in a significant reduction in carbon emissions, estimated at around 600 tons of CO2 per year. Developed and implemented between 2022 and 2023, it is considered one of the largest geothermal plants in Portugal.
The geothermal heat pump project was implemented through an investment of EUR 2 million and is part of the PRR (Recovery and Resilience Plan) framework for the decarbonization of industry, meeting the objectives for its implementation: “reduction of emissions and conservation of natural resources; continuous improvement of energy performance; cost reduction and optimization of investments for energy efficiency”.
The Braga facility produces a wide-ranging portfolio of electronic products, mainly navigation systems and car radios for the automotive industry. The plant has a Research & Development department, an Electronic Service and a Centre of Bosch IT and Electronic Services, both responsible for Iberia.
