Stadtwerke Teterow: What future does our district heating supply have?

Stadtwerke Teterow: What future does our district heating supply have?

Things are getting serious in Teterow because the municipal utilities are facing a crucial challenge: future heat supply. The local provider currently gets 82% of its heat from the biogas plant on Bocksbergweg. This source is not only environmentally friendly, but also meets numerous climate protection requirements. But the situation could soon change, because from 2029 there is a possibility that the biogas plant will have to stop supplying heat. Walter Bommer, the head of the technical service department, is already thinking about potential alternatives to district heating supply.

The adjustments to the funding conditions for biogas plants, which make feeding biogas into the natural gas network more attractive, are particularly explosive. Balance GmbH, operator of the biogas plant, has already submitted a corresponding application. This raises the question: What happens if the heat supply disappears overnight? Is the use of geothermal energy, better known as deep geothermal energy, a solution? However, this option has not been explored in detail and the investment could be huge.

Alternative heat sources in view

Another approach would be to use Lake Teterow to generate heat, but here too the feasibility is not guaranteed and would first have to be examined in more detail. Waste heat sources from Teterow companies are also being discussed, although only the slaughterhouse would come into question, which is located outside the city area and therefore entails high transport costs.

If you look at the requirements and the ongoing need, the situation is as follows: The city cannot afford to completely abandon district heating. Air source heat pumps are not an option due to high demand, and a substation would be necessary to meet electricity needs. The most sensible alternative seems to be to continue to obtain biomethane from the biogas plant and possibly add liquid gas. However, the prices for biomethane have not yet been clarified - negotiations still need to take place here.

There are also considerations about using wood chips as additional fuel. But this solution also poses challenges because it requires special ovens and large storage areas.

The role of district heating

District heating in Teterow is currently provided over a network of almost 10 kilometers and supplies around 1,500 apartments with heat and hot water. The production facilities work almost fully automatically and require little maintenance. The combination of electricity and heat production in several combined heat and power plants ensures ecologically sustainable energy production. Another advantage of district heating is the avoidance of boilers, which also eliminates the need for storage space for fuel and the problem of combustion residues.

The municipal utilities would like to make a decision on future heat supply by the end of the year. If the rethinking of energy supply succeeds, Teterow could set the course for a sustainable future. However, what exactly this will look like is still uncertain at this point.

Stadtwerke Teterow will be happy to answer any questions or suggestions regarding heat supply. Contact them at the email address info@sw-teterow.de or by phone at 03996 / 15330.