Since 2006, Iqony Energies and REMONDIS have been operating the Lünen biomass power plant (BMK) with an electrical output of 20 megawatts. With an investment worth millions, the BMK will be converted for heat extraction and the construction of an additional heating plant by 2028. This will enable up to 90,000 megawatt hours of climate-friendly heat to be provided annually, which corresponds to the needs of around 16,500 households. The heat will be supplied to Stadtwerke Lünen. This makes the project an important building block for the decarbonisation of Lünen’s heating network.
BMK Biomassekraftwerk Lünen GmbH, a joint venture between Iqony Energies and REMONDIS GmbH & Co. KG Region West, has been operating a biomass power plant with an electrical output of 20 megawatts at its Lünen site since 2006. As a fuel, biomass is far more climate-friendly than fossil fuels. This means that BMK can already supply green electricity to a calculated 60,000 households. The partners are now taking the next logical step and enabling the power plant to extract heat.
The heat is transferred to the district heating network of Stadtwerke Lünen via a new heating condenser. A new heating plant is being built as an additional heat source. This will enable up to 90,000 megawatt hours of climate-friendly heat to be provided per year, which corresponds to the needs of around 16,500 households. Stadtwerke Lünen is providing the necessary grid connection and purchasing the heat.
Safe and climate-friendly district heating
“This €15 million investment in heating makes it clear that the heating transition is happening locally. Stadtwerke Lünen is already a pioneer in district heating. However, a large proportion of the heat currently comes from the local coal-fired power plant. Using the new biomass cogeneration plant will significantly improve the climate balance. District heating will become greener and remain secure, and at the same time we are investing heavily in Lünen as a location,” says Andreas Böffel, Managing Director of BMK at Iqony Energies.
Jean-Michael Hachmann, Managing Director of BMK at REMONDIS Region West adds: “This project is all about the future. We are decarbonising the district heating supply in Lünen, thereby improving environmental compatibility as well as security of supply and affordability. The more climate-neutral sources are used, the less impact the CO2 taxes, which will continue to rise in the future, will have. It’s a win-win-win situation.”
Dr. Achim Grunenberg, Co-Managing Director of Stadtwerke Lünen, states: “At Stadtwerke Lünen, we have always been committed to innovative and environmentally friendly heat supply. In addition to the existing highly efficient combined heat and power plants, we are now adding another climate-friendly heat source.”
Picture of the contract signing (from left): Klaus Erlenbach (Managing Director Remondis Region West), Andreas Böffel (Managing Director BMK), Jean-Michael Hachmann (Managing Director BMK), Urs Reitis (Managing Director Stadtwerke Lünen), Dr Achim Grunenberg (Managing Director Stadwerke Lünen), Jürgen Kirsch (Managing Director Iqony Energies), Florian Eder (Head of Project Development Iqony Energies), Carsten Diermann (Consultant of Stadtwerke Lünen LBD-Beratungsgesellschaft), Martin Schack (Authorised signatory Stadtwerke Lünen)
Urs Reitis, Co-Managing Director of Stadtwerke Lünen, adds: “By extracting thermal energy from the biomass power plant, we will be switching the district heating supply to renewable heat as early as 2028. This means that district heating in Lünen will become climate-neutral well ahead of the national target year of 2045 and will develop into a reliable, future-proof component of our city’s sustainable energy supply.”
Image credits: image 1: © STEAG GmbH; image 2: © Stadtwerke Lünen
