Heat supply: Open day at the Wald im Pinzgau district heating plant

Joachim Kelz (left) and Ludwig Fliesser (2nd from left) hand over the new visitor display board with information about the Wald biomass heating plant to the employees of Salzburg AG ©Klimafonds/Krobath

Salzburg AG’s Wald heating plant, which has reliably supplied the municipality with heat for decades, has undergone extensive modernisation in recent months. This was initiated by the “BM-Retrofit” research project subsidised by the Climate and Energy Fund. The aim of the project is to adapt existing heating networks to future requirements and thus make a significant contribution to achieving the climate targets that have been set. Over a period of three years, an interdisciplinary team from research, technology and energy suppliers is dedicated to the development and demonstration of holistic modernisation concepts and the expansion of existing district heating systems. The model solutions developed will be tested and analysed in several biomass-based district heating networks, including in Wald im Pinzgau and Saalfelden in Salzburg.

The modernisation measures in Wald primarily involved the integration of the neighbouring hydropower plant. Waste heat generated by cooling the generator in the hydropower plant will in future be converted into usable thermal energy by a heat pump with a thermal output of 250 kW. An additional electric boiler (P2H system) can be used to further increase the temperature if required. The electricity required to operate the new generation systems (heat pump and P2H system) is produced by the hydropower plant. This means that enough heat can be generated during the summer months to supply Salzburg AG’s customers in Wald im Pinzgau with sustainable heat. In addition, a corresponding buffer storage tank with a volume of 30,000 litres was installed to increase the security and flexibility of the heat supply. The operation of the biomass boiler can thus be suspended during the summer months. This saves valuable local biomass and minimises local emissions.

Christian Pugl-Pichler, an employee of Salzburg AG, emphasises the importance of the measures: “With the modernisation work carried out, we have set the course for a more environmentally friendly and efficient energy supply. This is an important step towards making our contribution to the energy transition and at the same time ensuring security of supply for the region.”

Joachim Kelz from AEE INTEC and project manager of BM Retrofit adds: “Holistic modernisation concepts for biomass-based heating networks are the basis for a sustainable heat supply for generations.”

Residents of Wald, interested parties from the region and project partners from all over Austria attended the open day to get a first-hand impression of the modernisation measures. In addition to viewing the new plant technology, there was also the opportunity to discuss current developments in the field of sustainable energy supply with the experts.

Heat supply in Wald from 100% renewable heat sources

The future heat supply in Wald im Pinzgau will therefore be 100% renewable and local heat sources (biomass, waste heat, electricity) and the fossil oil boiler will only be used for emergencies. This direct substitution can achieve an annual saving of around 10,000 litres of oil (around 100,000 kWh) and a CO₂ reduction of around 30 tonnes. In addition, the optimised operation of the biomass boiler in combination with the use of waste heat can reduce the total consumption of biomass enormously (around 1,000 bulk cubic metres) and make a contribution to conserving the valuable resource of biomass.

The open day at the Wald heating plant was not only an opportunity to present the progress of the modernisation, but also an important step towards strengthening the dialogue between technology, research and the public. The positive response from visitors and the experts in attendance shows that the Wald heating plant is on the right path to actively shaping the energy supply of the future.

Research project as an opportunity for the Wald biomass heating plant

The speciality of the BM-Retrofit project lies in the cooperation between research, technology and practice. This makes it possible to implement innovative solutions directly on site and ensure a successful transfer of knowledge, as Ludwig Fliesser from the Green Energy Lab research initiative explains.

Urban Peyker, Head of the Industry, Business and Financing Department at the Climate and Energy Fund: “By optimising biomass plants and using synergies between different sectors, the valuable resource of biomass can continue to be used sensibly. This will ensure that heat supply is decentralised and sustainable in the future and that regional value chains are developed.“

The BM Retrofit project is subsidised by the Climate and Energy Fund and is being carried out as part of the “Green Energy Lab” research initiative as part of the Austrian innovation offensive “Vorzeigeregion Energie”. The modernisation measures implemented are supported by the BMK’s environmental funding.

The BM Retrofit research project

In the BM Retrofit lead project, innovative technical concepts (e.g. flue gas condensation, heat pumps, storage technologies) are developed accordingly and optimised for efficient system integration. This ensures that innovative measures are further improved and integrated, leading to more sustainable and economical operation in conjunction with reduced resource consumption and emission savings.