The town of Grünberg is focussing on a climate-friendly energy supply for the Baumgartenfeld III development area. The plan is to build a heating centre and a heating network. Partner in the realisation and operation: Stadtwerke Gießen (SWG). On 10 December, the town of Grünberg and SWG signed a corresponding usage agreement.
Efficient and climate-friendly - these two attributes will characterise the heat supply in the Baumgartenfeld III development area in Grünberg. Together with Stadtwerke Gießen (SWG), the town is creating the necessary conditions long before the first developers start their "home ownership" project. From March 2015, SWG will be laying a heating network for the 119 building plots and constructing a heating centre.
The go-ahead for this project was given on Tuesday, 10 December. Mayor Frank Ide and the two SWG board members Jens Schmidt and Reinhard Paul signed a corresponding utilisation agreement at Grünberg town hall. This authorises Stadtwerke Gießen to operate local heating pipes in public streets in the new development area and to lay new pipes over the next 20 years.
"Stadtwerke Gießen has been demonstrating for many years what heating networks can achieve in terms of sustainability and efficient energy supply - not only in Gießen itself, but also in several other municipalities in the district. This experience was a significant factor in our decision," emphasised Mayor Frank Ide, adding: "A long-term partnership that promises security, financially and ecologically - for us as a city and for every family that will settle here."
A concept with a future
The new Commercial Director of Stadtwerke Giessen, Jens Schmidt, explained at the signing of the road utilisation agreement: "I am delighted to be able to seal this kind of cooperation as one of my first official acts. A collaboration in which we are supporting another municipality in the district of Giessen in setting up a sustainable and efficient energy supply with future potential." Technical Director Reinhard Paul agreed: "With their decision, those responsible in Grünberg are setting the right course and making a contribution to the energy transition in our region. Last but not least, they are also making this possible for every developer and increasing the attractiveness of the building plots."
Thanks to local heating, every future builder automatically fulfils the legal requirements for energy efficiency that apply to new residential buildings. Thomas Wagner also pointed out: "No house builder has to worry about a boiler room, the chimney flue or regular maintenance work or costs for the chimney sweep."
An optimal combination
Once the local heating network has been completed, a centralised system will provide the energy required for heating and hot water. It consists of two peak-load gas condensing boilers, each with an output of 700 kilowatts (kW). The base load is covered by two combined heat and power units (CHP), each with a thermal output of 100 kW and an electrical output of 50 kW. In total, the heating centre will produce around 1.15 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of heat and around 600,000 kWh of electricity per year - in a highly efficient and climate-friendly manner, primarily thanks to the two CHP units.