Feasibility Biomasseheizwerk Weizberg

The objective of this project is the integration of a central heat storage into the existing heating plant of the local heating grid in the district of Weizberg, a historic and protected district in the city of Weiz, as well as the implementation of a new control strategy with a fully integrated, intelligent load management with mutual communication of all system components.

The boiler system of the heating plant is currently operated mostly in the unfavorable partial or low load range due to the lack of a central heat storage. This leads to increased fuel consumption as well as pollutant emissions. Furthermore, due to the lack of the central storage, the heating grid is used as a thermal buffer. This results in additional heat losses. One of the main reasons for the missing storage and other efficiency measures is the location of the heating plant in the historic town center of Weizberg. At present, the integration of large heat storages and other measures for local heating grids in historical city districts are a great challenge due to the strict requirements of the protection of the townscape and historical monuments. Yet, especially in these districts, there is a need for improvement in terms of energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources.

A possible solution for this problem shall be demonstrated by the innovative implementation of a central water buffer storage with a volume of about 33 m³ and the integration of a new load management with mutual communication of all system components (boiler plant, central storage, grid and decentralized storages at the consumers).

AEE INTEC’s task in the project is the technical and scientific support. Furthermore, a feasibility study including and evaluating alternative storage technologies is to be carried out.