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Available 24/7
A major UK energy provider began developing a large-scale District Cooling Network (DCN) as part of a landmark mixed-use regeneration project in London. This raised a critical question: how could reliable, low-carbon cooling be delivered to customers while the permanent Energy Centre was still under construction?
The network was growing rapidly, demand was increasing, and any interruption to cooling supply would pose a serious risk to operational confidence, customer trust, and long-term project success. What was needed was not just temporary cooling hire, but a fully engineered, long-term solution capable of operating seamlessly for nearly three years.
That’s where Rapid Energy stepped in.
To deliver the required capacity, flexibility, and resilience, Rapid Energy supplied a fully modular cooling rental solution, including:
4 × 500kW Chillers
2 × 8” Headers
30 × 4” Flanged Braided Hoses
4 × 8” Flanged Braided Hoses
4 × Inline Water Strainers
1 × Water Softener Unit
1 × 8” Heat Meter
1 × 1000-Litre Expansion Vessel
A water softener unit was included to remove hardness from the raw fill water, ensuring system protection and simplifying long-term water quality management throughout the hire period.
The temporary chillers were required to:
Deliver 2MW of dependable cooling capacity
Integrate seamlessly with an expanding DCN
Operate continuously for 32 months
Be fully monitored remotely, including pressures, temperatures, and energy usage
Be designed, installed, commissioned, and maintained without delay
On top of this, the project had a fixed completion deadline of 18 December, with multiple stakeholders, deliveries, and technical interfaces involved. Any misstep in planning, sequencing, or execution could have caused costly delays.
Rapid Energy acted as both technical expert and project guide, bringing clarity to complexity from day one.
A dedicated project lead was assigned on site to:
Coordinate equipment deliveries
Manage installation sequencing
Oversee lifting plans and RAMS
Ensure every component was positioned correctly the first time
The project was broken down into four clearly defined deliverables, each with its own timescale. This structured approach ensured momentum was maintained and risks were controlled at every stage.
The temporary cooling plant (TCP) compound measured 18m x 18m, giving Rapid Energy ample space to deliver, position, and install all major components safely. Every chiller, header, hose, and auxiliary component was installed in line with a detailed site plan to avoid rework or delays.
To give the client full operational confidence, Rapid Energy also designed and installed a comprehensive remote monitoring solution, including an 8” heat meter to track performance and energy usage in real time.
The temporary cooling plant was delivered, installed and commissioned on time, successfully meeting the December deadline without compromise.
The temporary chillers now provide:
Stable, scalable cooling for a growing DCN
Continuous operation with remote monitoring and long-term reliability
Confidence for stakeholders while the permanent Energy Centre is completed
What could have posed a significant risk to the wider development was resolved through the delivery of a fully managed, dependable temporary cooling solution that keeps operations running smoothly.
“This project highlights our expertise in delivering large-scale, complex, specialist turnkey HVAC hire solutions within critical environments.
From initial technical design through to installation and commissioning, we implemented a fully integrated cooling solution while operating within a live, mission-critical setting. A long-term contract of this nature reflects a strong partnership with our customer, with our engineering team providing ongoing performance monitoring, reporting, and maintenance to ensure the continued reliability of this temporary energy centre.”
Jamie Ross-Davies
Managing Director
