Stadtwerke Gießen is also contributing its expertise in cost-effective, climate-friendly heat supply far beyond the borders of Central Hesse. In Pulsen-Röderaue, Saxony, the company officially inaugurated a heating centre for 14 apartment buildings, a school and a sports hall on 26 November.
Stadtwerke Gießen (SWG) has already demonstrated in numerous projects in the region how the energy supply of residential buildings and municipal properties can be organised more efficiently with the help of combined heat and power (CHP). The experts are not only contributing their experience in Giessen and the neighbouring towns and municipalities. In its search for a partner to optimise the heat supply of 14 apartment buildings in Pulsen-Röderaue in Saxony, Gröditzer Wohnbau eG also opted for the energy service provider from Central Hesse. Andreas Gottschling, Managing Director of the housing association, explains: "Our plan was to modernise the energy supply in order to increase efficiency, protect the climate and at the same time reduce energy costs for the tenants. CHP is perfect for this in our case. An important criterion for us was to realise the project with an experienced company."
Existing system expanded
Until October, only two natural gas boilers with condensing technology provided the thermal energy for around 370 households in the 14 residential buildings. During the summer months, SWG expanded the heating centre to include a combined heat and power unit (CHP). It has a thermal output of 369 kilowatts (kW) and an electrical output of 240 kW. In order to integrate the small power plant into the local power grid, a transformer station had to be built and the connection established. Stadtwerke Gießen also installed three buffer storage tanks, each with a capacity of 6000 litres. Another special feature: the system also supplies a school and a sports hall with heating energy via a local heating network.
SWG project manager Willi Schwarz explains the benefits of the concept: "Whenever the CHP unit produces heat, it also generates electricity at the same time, which we feed into the local grid. This principle of combined heat and power increases the energy yield by around 30 per cent compared to the separate production of electrical energy and heating energy." This results in lower fuel requirements and lowerCO2 emissions. The heating network also offers the advantage that no fireplaces are required in the houses and flats for heating or hot water preparation. This eliminates maintenance work and the costs for the chimney sweep, which has a positive effect on the tenants' utility bills.
This is because the building and housing co-operative only pays a fixed amount for the amount of energy supplied - around 2.88 million kilowatt hours per year. With this so-called heat contracting, SWG takes on all tasks, from planning, financing and construction of the system to care and maintenance. Stadtwerke Gießen also monitors numerous important parameters of the system around the clock, 365 days a year. The energy service provider has installed a special remote data transmission system for this purpose. "An ideal model for us, with which we are optimally and securely supplied," emphasises Andreas Gottschling.
27.11.2014