As Stadtwerk Tauberfranken wants to play an active role in the energy transition, the decision to install a combined power system was an obvious one. The implemented biomass cogeneration plant with ORC technology generates heat for district heating supply, coupled with electricity that is fed into the public grid.
Project manager Florian Prantl, who has been associated with Gammel Engineering as an intern since his studies, took over the management of the large-scale project. "Bad Mergentheim is a large spa and bathing town with numerous health resorts, clinics and retirement homes and a correspondingly high demand for heat. Stadtwerk Tauberfranken, which is based in Bad Mergentheim, wants to supply these and other properties, some of which are public, with heat," says the mechanical engineer, explaining the client's motives. "In addition to heat distribution throughout the entire city via a district heating network, efficient heat generation was the main component of the project development."In principle, the power plant in Bad Mergentheim is operated on a heat-led basis. This means that electricity is only generated when and to the extent that heat is required or can be accommodated in the grid. Due to the good partial load behavior of the ORC turbine, it can also be operated during off-peak periods, such as the summer months.The biomass boiler system has a thermal firing capacity of around 6,000 kW, the ORC turbine generates an electrical output of around 950 kW and a thermal output of around 4,100 kW. There are also two gas boilers for peak load coverage and security of supply, each with a heat output of around 5,000 kW.Heat generation is based on the renewable raw material wood. At least 40 percent of the fuel comes from the waste management companies of the Hohenlohe, Neckar-Odemwald and Main-Tauber districts, which supply natural wood chips from street cuttings and from the green waste collection points at the recycling centers.From October 2011 to the inauguration in April 2013, Florian Prantl accompanied the project in all phases: "In October 2011, first the supervisory board of the municipal utility and then the municipal council of Bad Mergentheim gave their OK for the realization of the natural heat project - the approval according to the Federal Immission Control Act for the power plant had already been granted in advance," reports the project manager. "As a result, planning and tendering could begin immediately after the approval of the committees. The first earthworks for the power plant began as early as January 2012. The first electricity was fed into the grid on December 5, 2012 and the approximately six-kilometre-long heating network was heated up and put into operation on December 13, 2012. The inauguration took place on 25.04.2013."European Commissioner Günther Oettinger even traveled to the inauguration ceremony and filled the wood chip bunker with a wheel loader. Client representative Michael Kellenbenz, Head of Technical Projects at Stadtwerk Tauberfranken GmbH, is full of praise: "Due to the size and duration of the project, a very open and friendly working relationship developed between Florian Prantl and myself, which, regardless of the positive interpersonal factors, was also beneficial for the course of the project."
The investment sum for the entire project, district heating and power plant, is around 12.6 million euros. However, it is an investment that pays off: "The number of connection contracts and thus the heat sales clearly exceed the estimates of the profitability analysis, on the basis of which the decision of the Supervisory Board and the municipal council was made. It is difficult to define a break-even point here, as the heating network is constantly being expanded and further customers added. For example, additional large consumers are already being connected to the network this year," explains Florian Prantl.
Paul Gehrig, Managing Director of Stadtwerks Tauberfranken, also draws an extremely positive conclusion: "Gammel Engineering, especially in the person of Florian Prantl, supported us with great expertise and reliability. Mr. Prantl has made our problems his own. The engineers from Gammel Engineering are well versed in all technologies." Article on the inauguration in Bad Mergentheim: Südwest Presse Zeitung für kommunale Wirtschaft (ZfK) Tauber Zeitung
After a long period of planning, lots of ideas and countless hours, the time has finally come: our new homepage is live! We are looking forward to your feedback!
Rising energy and raw material prices can be counteracted by using sustainable energy technologies and thus reducing CO2 emissions. This not only significantly reduces cost explosions, but also reduces your own ecological footprint. Pioneers in the dairy industry are also focusing on this.
Some people are simply indispensable in a company - Thomas "Tom" Winkler is one of them. He started with us around 25 years ago as a young engineer and grew from project manager to project manager to authorized signatory. With a great deal of passion and dedication, he has become a permanent fixture in our management team. But above all, Tom is a real team player who always has an open ear, is always willing to help and makes everyday life easier with his good humor.