Danpower Opens a Combined Heat and Power Plant in Pfaffenhofen
The facility combines various generation and storage technologies and is intended to expand district heating capacity and enable further expansion of the heating network.
October 30, 2026
Source: E & M powernews
Danpower has commissioned a new combined heat and power plant in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, Upper Bavaria. Treated wastewater is used as the heat source.
On October 27,the energy supplier Danpower opened the new Nordcombined heat and powerplant in Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm. The plant complements the existing biomass combined heat and power plant on Posthofstraße in the southern part of the city and expands generation capacity for the district heating network. According to Danpower, the company is investing more than 20 million euros in the project. In addition to planning and financing, the company has also taken over operation of the plant.
The cogeneration plant combines two large heat pumps with a combined heat and power (CHP) unit, a power-to-heat boiler, a gas-fired backup system, and a heat storage tank. According to Danpower, the plant is designed to supply district heating to approximately 4,250 households. The additional generation capacity is intended to relieve pressure on the existing heat supply and enable further connections to the district heating network.
“With the new combined heat and power plant, we are investing in the further development of the heat supply in Pfaffenhofen. In doing so, we are focusing on utilizing existing local energy sources and expanding our existing biomass combined heat and power plant with additional generation capacity. In this way, we are creating the conditions to further develop the district heating network together with local stakeholders,” said Felix Reichenbach, Managing Director of Danpower Biomasse GmbH.
Large-Scale Heat Pumps Utilize Wastewater Heat
Two large heat pumps with a total thermal output of 4.1 MW play a key role in the generation concept. They use treated wastewater from the neighboring wastewater treatment plant as a heat source and raise its temperature to a level suitable for district heating. Up to 110 liters of treated wastewater per second are available for this purpose. The heat pumps can extract enough heat from the water to lower its temperature by a maximum of six degrees Celsius. The cooled water then flows into the Ilm River. According to Danpower, this heat extraction can reduce the heat input into the water body, particularly during the summer months.
In addition to the two large heat pumps, the combined heat and power plant features a combined heat and power (CHP) unit with an electrical output of 4.5 MW and a thermal output of 4.8 MW. The system is supplemented by an electrically powered power-to-heat boiler with a thermal output of 1.5 MW, as well as a gas-fired backup system with a thermal output of 6 MW. This backup system serves to secure the heat supply, for example, in the event of failures in other generation components.
Another component is a heat storage tank with a capacity of 3,000 cubic meters. It allows generated heat to be temporarily stored and fed into the district heating network as needed. Photovoltaic systems on the building facades and rooftops complement the energy concept and provide on-site electricity generation.
Author: Heidi Roider