klimaaktiv qm heizwerke

It is part of the Austrian Climate Initiative “klimaaktiv” launched in 2004 by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management.

The quality management system for biomass heating plants and district heating networks was developed in cooperation with the international working group QM BM District heating – QM Holzheizwerke – in 2006. In order to receive governmental investment subsidies, the application of the quality management system QM Heizwerke is compulsory, if the plant size exceeds 400 kW (total nominal heat output) or the route length of the district heating network exceeds 1000 meters.

Objectives of the program:

• Increase the overall efficiency of biomass district heating systems
• Optimisation of existing plants
• Supporting plant owners during the grant application procedure
• Ensuring the productive utilization of public funding
• National and international dissemination of knowledge and experience in the field of thermal biomass utilisation
• Support the export of Austrian products and services
• Enhancing the reputation of efficient biomass utilisation

Achievements and Future Challenges

The detailed and structured guidelines of the quality management system concerning design, planning and construction of biomass heating plants and district heating networks in combination with strictly defined quality criteria have led to a significant improvement of Austrian biomass district heating plants and networks. Benchmarks based on plant operating data prove these achievements.

The detailed and structured guidelines of the quality management system concerning design, planning and construction of biomass heating plants and district heating networks in combination with strictly defined quality criteria have led to a significant improvement of Austrian biomass district heating plants and networks. Benchmarks based on plant operating data prove these achievements.

Furthermore klimaaktiv qm heizwerke is a unique and internationally recognized initiative.

Nevertheless, experience shows that regarding the quality of design, the technically sound implementation as well as the consistent and continuous optimisation and monitoring of plants, still a large potential for improvements exists.

Another challenge is the optimisation and refurbishment of existing plants combined with densification and extension of district heating networks, as here, the scope is limited to given and hardly modifiable parameters.