Coveted warmth

Created: 04/12/2022, 08:00

By: Hans Moritz

The heart of Erdinger geothermal energy: the new heating plant 1 at the thermal baths, where the source is also located.

The counterpart is further north on the Kletthamer Feld.

© ZV Geowärme

 For hundreds of Erdinger households, businesses and public institutions, the thermal energy does not come primarily from gas pipelines, but from the Erdinger earth at a depth of more than 2000 meters.

Erding - In times of exploding energy prices, geothermal energy is a popular alternative because it is more stable in price - even if it is not possible without gas.

At 63 degrees, the water from the depths is not hot enough to be used without additional heating.

"This year we are registering a high demand for district heating connections," reported Michael Perzl, Managing Director of the Geowärme Zweckverband (ZV) Geowärme, at the association meeting.

"Some of the interested parties have to be put off until 2024 because the companies can't keep up."

The actually CO2-neutral and sustainable energy has a catch - the necessary use of gas.

The ZV wants to reduce its share in the next few years.

At the meeting, the ZV sales partner Steag presented a decarbonization concept, but still behind closed doors.

The goal: the additional energy required should also be sustainable.

One option would be a wood chip heater.

Perzl announced that with the help of a new heat pump, new connections with a lower return temperature and optimization of these, "a reduction in the proportion of gas can be expected".

In any case, things are going well for the ZV economically.

In 2023, Perzl expects a profit of 1.51 million euros.

That is a little less than last time (€1.53 million), which the managing director justified with the general cost increases.

At the same time, the debt is steadily declining.

Because the large investments were necessary for the development of the district heating infrastructure from the 1990s.

In 2008 the mountain of debt peaked at 27 million euros, this year it will only be 10.6 million euros.

Interest expenses are also falling accordingly.

The future looks rosy from other Greens: In addition to the income from leasing the network, Perzl expects numerous new subscribers, soon to be in the new industrial area in Erding-West and in the residential areas.

Most recently, the route length had increased by just 300 meters to 31.8 kilometers and the total output from 68 to 69.1 megawatts.

Because the thermal baths are also buzzing again, the ZV can expect higher yields from the thermal water delivery.

On the other side of the balance sheet there is more corporate income tax and, above all, inflation due to the high profits and the absence of loss carryforwards.

However, according to Perzl, the exploding gas prices are not a burden on the ZV.

They would meet Steag as the operator.

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