Villach uses wastewater for sustainable district heating - first planning 2026

Villach uses wastewater for sustainable district heating - first planning 2026

The city of Villach plans to use the sewage system in St. Agathen as a sustainable resource for its growing district heating network. This measure is part of a broader strategy for reducing emissions and promoting environmentally friendly energy sources. The sewage treatment plant, one of the largest in Austria, has the potential to cover the heat requirement of up to 250,000 people. Mayor Günther Albel emphasizes that the agreement between the city and the Kelag Energie & Warmth (KEW) is an important step towards climate -friendly energy use.

Currently, those responsible are in the phase of energy and technology-related preliminary examinations to clarify how the heat of the waste water can be efficiently integrated into the existing district heating system. The use of heat pumps is the focus of these considerations in order to gain the potential energy of the wastewater. The KEW plans to start the detailed planning after successfully completing the preliminary examinations in 2026.

innovative energy generation

The sewage treatment plant itself already proves to be a pioneer in energy efficiency, with a self -supply level of almost 80 percent thanks to a combined heat and power plant and modular photovoltaic systems. The additional way to gain energy from the sewage treatment plant could further increase efficiency and possibly enable completely energy -neutral operation, which makes the climate goals of the city of Villach even more tangible. This not only represents significant progress in energy supply, but could also serve as a model for other cities in Austria.

The developments related to sustainable energy generation are part of a more comprehensive trend in Villach, which continuously makes efforts to minimize the ecological footprint of its energy supply. The already existing district heating line is an example of these efforts, with 80 percent of the heat from biomass and waste heat being obtained, which makes Villach a pioneer in environmentally friendly energy use.

These approaches could be considered pioneering for future energy policy, since they not only lower CO2 emissions, but also raise awareness of sustainable energy sources. The planned project to use wastewater shows how innovative ideas can contribute to solving current environmental problems, while at the same time the basic needs of the population are covered. Further information on this topic can be found in an article www.meinbezirk.at .