21.06.2024
Source: Energie & Management Powernews
In the Allgäu region, Memmingen-based Econ AG is investing 8 million euros in a district heating project. It is called "Regenerative heat supply Memmingen Süd and Benningen".
Together with the Bavarian municipality of Benningen, which has a population of 2,200, and Rohde & Schwarz Messgerätebau, Econ plans to generate up to 30,000 MWh of heat entirely from renewable sources in future. This will be sufficient for the complete heat supply of the municipality of Benningen, but also parts of the neighboring town of Memmingen to the west as well as industrial customers such as the Memmingen branch of the electronics company Rohde & Schwarz.
The heart of the project will be a new energy center, the "Memmingen Süd / Benningen heating plant". The concept: The heat comes from a wood chip boiler and large heat pumps, which are supplied with renewable electricity from the photovoltaic systems on the runway of Allgäu Airport. This will save 2.5 million cubic meters of natural gas and up to 7,500 tons of CO2 per year.
Regenerative heat mix
"This is an absolute lighthouse project for the entire region, because we have a forward-looking heat mix here that is 100 percent renewable and (...) can be scaled up," explains Peter Waizenegger, CEO of Econ, in a company press release. For more than 15 years, the company has been developing CO2-neutral energy concepts as well as sustainable and highly efficient heat supplies that conserve resources and optimize energy costs for customers from municipalities, industry and commerce.
In Benningen, the network installations are planned with foresight so that up to 50,000 MWh of heat output per year is possible. The number of large heat pumps can be increased accordingly if required. In addition, the district heating network recovers the low-temperature waste heat from the cooling processes of industrial customers as a heat source for the heat pumps. "This gives our large heat pumps a double benefit and a sensationally high level of efficiency," says Waizenegger.
Citizens get involved
Benningen's mayor Martin Osterrieder (CSU / Free Voters list) welcomes the municipality's regenerative heat supply: "We have many properties that are all heated with oil or gas." The life expectancy of these heating systems is limited, which is why they initially wanted to install their own 500 kW wood chip system. "Thanks to the cooperation with Econ, we now have completely new dimensions and, above all, long-term security of supply," he explains.
The concept has also been well received by the residents of Benningen. Of the 34 properties located on the new route along the arterial road to Memmingen Süd, 26 are using the district heating connection immediately or in the medium term. "That is 75 percent of the buildings, and I assume that we will also reach this percentage once we have completed the current heating planning for the entire municipal area," says Osterrieder.
Company replaces natural gas
The pilot project partner from industry is Rohde & Schwarz Messgerätebau in the southern industrial estate in Memmingen. "By switching to district heating, we will largely move away from gas as an energy source in Memmingen and save up to 270 tons of CO2 per year," explained David Friesinger, Energy and Environmental Manager at the company.
In its Climate Strategy 2030, Rohde & Schwarz has set itself the goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 55 percent by 2030 compared to 2017.
The heating center is scheduled to go into operation in September 2025. The wood chip boiler has an output of 5,000 kW, while the high-temperature heat pumps have an output of around 1,500 kW in the first expansion stage. A total of around 4 kilometers of heating network will be built.
Author: Susanne Harmsen
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