Bernried wants a heating network for bulk consumers

Created: 09/26/2022, 2:00 p.m

By: Johannes Thoma

Operation in the Höhenried Clinic is energy-intensive.

© Gronau

At the most recent meeting of the Bernried municipal council, Wolfgang Mutter (FDP) surprised everyone with the proposal to implement a heating network for large consumers between the Höhenried clinic and the monastery.

The reactions were consistently positive.

Bernried – In a statement, the Bernried Greens “expressly” welcome the initiative of the trade association.

The trade association proposes designing an industrial plant based on an energy mix.

Photovoltaics, wood chips, and heat pumps were given by Mother as examples.

The plans for the “energy pipeline”, says mother, are still in the early stages.

Next, a feasibility study would have to follow, in which the technical details and the costs would be clarified.

Further meetings between those involved are planned for the coming weeks.

"Lots of space" required

What is certain is that the large consumers affected, such as the Höhenried clinic, the three hotels, the municipality with its summer cellar and monastery, are to be combined in a consortium – possibly under the direction of the municipality.

"With almost 300,000 overnight stays per year, the clinic and hotels have an enormous energy requirement," says Mutter.

With the exploding costs, it is urgently necessary to find a medium-term cheap solution.

In any case, “a lot of space” is required for this, says mother, and there is only limited space in the lower village: the shorter the lines, the lower the energy loss and the costs, says mother.

Private houses could "possibly" be connected

In addition to the Greens, the municipal council with Mayor Georg Malterer also welcomed the initiative in principle.

The topic came up in the municipal council because the “Energy” working group had called for heat planning for the entire town – including private properties.

Private houses could possibly be connected, but that's not the primary goal, says Mutter, who hopes that the project will be implemented as quickly as possible.

As early as 2010, there were initial considerations for a local heating network in Bernried

Mayor Malterer pointed out that there had already been initial considerations for a local heating network in 2010 - at that time still in connection with the geothermal drilling in the town.

A few months ago, given the skyrocketing prices on the energy market, the topic was taken up again and those affected, such as companies and trade associations, were invited to a meeting and a tour of a plant in Peißenberg.

The twelve-year-old plans are still available, they included the whole town with private houses.

Cost estimate at that time (minus grants): ten million euros.

According to Malterer, the community wants to get in touch with the engineering office that drew up the plans.

According to the Greens, there is money for the project

“There is enormous cost pressure on large-scale commercial consumers.

Either it works with renewable energy or there is a risk of economic collapse for some companies due to high prices for fossil fuels," write the Bernried Green Party in a press release on Mother's proposal.

Money to realize the project is available, according to the Greens.

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"If the bulk consumers are supplied with renewable heat, then Bernried will take a big step in the right direction towards climate neutrality," it continues.

Nevertheless, the Greens are sticking to their demand for a climate manager, which the municipal council only recently rejected.

A climate manager can also take care of homeowners who cannot be connected to the said heating network, for example those in Oberdorf.

"Therefore, it still makes sense to hire a climate manager in Bernried who, for example, as a representative of the municipality in the operating company of the heating network, brings the concerns of the citizens of Bernried to the table, creates an overall concept for climate neutrality in Bernried,