Breaking ground for heat network in Weißenhorn - Major project in Weißenhorn in Landkreis Neu-Ulm
"That is an ambitious target, but we will do everything we can to achieve it", promised Alois Alt, Managing Director of the district heating project development company (FWP) Weißenhorn. Its two shareholders are the district of Neu-Ulm and the town of Weißenhorn, each of which hold a 50% share. The technical business management, heat customer acquisition, the project management and client representation are currently still being undertaken by bifa.
After more than two years of preliminary work, the engineering consultancy Sendl was finally engaged last autumn to carry out the design work. The contract for the pipe laying work was awarded in March through a Europe-wide call for tenders. The ground-breaking ceremony for the ambitious project took place on 5 May.
The first and largest construction phase of the new district heating network is scheduled for completion and putting into service in the autumn 2017, in time for the heating period. The two shareholders of the district heating project company (FWP), district of Neu-Ulm and the town of Weißenhorn, plan to invest up to 10 million euros in 2017. Construction phase II is planned for 2018 and the third phase for 2019.
Thorsten Freudenberger, the chief admininstrative officer of the district is pleased that almost to the day, three years after he took office on 1 May 2014, the ambitious project, strived for for more than 25 years since the waste incineration plant started up, has finally started.
Facing Weißenhorn’s Mayor, Dr Wolfgang Fendt, Freudenberger said: "Together we are on the best route to writing environmental history in our district". The district heating network in Weißenhorn is a "great success" for climate protection in the district of Neu-Ulm. According to Freudenberger, it is both ecologically and economically "advantageous to use the surplus heat of the waste-fired power plant, which until now has escaped unused into the atmosphere".
The head of Weißenhorn’s town hall, Dr. Fendt, emphasised that great things can be achieved when we join forces and pull in the same direction. Climate protection must not only be something we concern ourselves with when a flood has just occurred again, but must be permanently on the agenda, admonished the Mayor, Dr. Fendt.
Through independence from fossil fuels, the district heating from the waste-fired power station offers significant advantages and supplies clean energy for heating and hot water. Fuels do not have to be stored in the home and the fluctuations in gas and oil prices do not apply. Less fossil fuels are used for heating. In addition, ideally, up to 1,650 tonnes of carbon dioxide can be saved per year, which equates to the average CO2 emissions of 235 detached houses. Another positive side-effect is the reduction in the fine dust impact in Weißenhorn due to the district heating supply.
