BM Retrofit

Biomass district heating networks and systems play a central role in sustainable heat supply and comprise about 2,400 systems in operation in Austria. There is currently an increased need for retrofitting and modernization of many of the existing heating networks in order to meet future technical, economic and regulatory challenges and to ensure a sustainable and targeted expansion.

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

Objective of the project BM Retrofit

The aim of the project is to a) adapt and further develop existing heating networks to future requirements, b) make a significant contribution to the achievement of the set climate targets and c) strengthen the economic benefits, including local added value.

Systems integration, combined with the full involvement of relevant stakeholders and the expansion of services and business models, is currently not applied in practice when developing modernization concepts. As a result, the existing potential is not fully exploited.

Approach and methodology of the project BM Retrofit

In order to achieve the set goals, a holistic methodical approach is pursued and measures are implemented on different levels.

These include

• technical measures (e.g. optimization of biomass boilers and the heating network, use of secondary and efficiency-enhancing technologies, integration of renewable energy sources and waste heat, etc.)
• systemic elements such as progressive digitalization (e.g. intelligent sensors, new control concepts and operational sequence planning) or strategic planning of network expansion and densification with the help of energy space planning.
• and non-technical/organizational measures (e.g. actor involvement and stakeholder management, comprehensive innovative system evaluations as well as life cycle and value creation analyses) and finally economic aspects (e.g. business and billing models).

The BM-Retrofit approach thus enables the realization of a sustainable overall energy system a) with increased overall efficiency and flexibility, b) with the best possible use of renewable and local energy sources, c) by fully exploiting the synergies of existing infrastructures and d) by creating a future-proof and resilient system. This will result in significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and resource consumption, as well as increased security of supply and economic efficiency.

Demonstrators of the project BM Retrofit

The developed elements and solutions will be implemented in different biomass-based district heating networks (so-called demonstrators) and analyzed with accompanying data evaluation and holistic system validation including life cycle and value chain analysis. The identified optimization potentials and experiences from the entire innovation process will be summarized as best practices in a guideline. The technical, economic and environmental benefits are quantified. Furthermore, scaling scenarios will be developed to generate and evaluate the market potential and the impacts on the energy system.

“Retrofitting is a particularly resource-efficient approach because it does not involve building from scratch, but rather upgrading and optimizing existing infrastructure. The BM Retrofit concept – BM stands for biomass – is intended to set a precedent for other locations. The BM Retrofit demonstrators serve as pilot and pioneer sites. For more information on the individual heating networks and demonstrators, please visit the linked detail pages.

• Demonstration project BM Retrofit Wald im Pinzgau
• Demonstration project BM Retrofit Saalfelden
• Demonstration project BM Retrofit Kreuzstetten