Project description
The industrial city of Kapfenberg is working to become carbon neutral. A roadmap for climate neutrality (Kapfenberg_2_zeroCO2) includes the optimization of the district heating supply, which is currently based mainly (approx. 84%) on natural gas and only to a small extent on industrial waste heat. The industrial waste heat potential is so high that even a planned tripling of the district heating consumption can be covered on balance.
For 100% integration of industrial waste heat, it must be stored seasonally in order to compensate for the discontinuous availability of waste heat and seasonal fluctuations in heat consumption. In this respect, numerous abandoned mining tunnels in the region offer the possibility of creating a large heat storage facility.
A recent study commissioned by the European Investment Bank shows that the most economical technology mix in urban heating networks 4.0 is a combination of a low-cost heat source (e.g. waste heat) with 85% annual coverage and a heat pump. This could be achieved in Kapfenberg by seasonally storing industrial waste heat and operating a heat pump with excess renewable electricity.
In this way, waste heat extraction can be maximized and the P2H (heat pump) application can relieve the electrical grid by using excess electricity and create a back-up system in the event of industrial shutdowns.
The exploratory project Abwärme_4_Kapfenberg will answer a number of questions, such as
- Where and how can a seasonal heat storage system be built?
- What are the investment and operating costs?
- How must the existing district heating system be adapted?
- What are the implications for urban development and spatial planning?
Project objectives:
- Development of a system concept with regard to maximizing waste heat extraction, seasonal storage and a back-up solution.
- Techno-economic evaluation of the concept.
- Action plan for step-by-step implementation.
Project partner
- Ringhofer & Partner GmbH
- Stadtwerke Kapfenberg GmbH