Landfill transformed into renewable energy site

A closed landfill at the city-border of Graz in Austria now has a new purpose. A plant combining solar energy with gas from the landfill has been constructed and supplies the local community with district heating. Arcon-Sunmark had developed the plant which is a role model example of how to turn polluted zones into sites for energy solutions of the future.

WDS Energiedienstleistungen GmbH, a subsidiary of Energie Graz, has just put a unique new heating plant into operation. Arcon-Sunmark, the Danish solar heating specialist, is turnkey supplier of the entire project. The facility will produce heating via three energy sources; solar thermal energy, a landfill and natural gas CHP-engine and a power-to-heat module which can use the produced electricity from the CHP system.

“We are very proud to have been chosen as partner by Energie Graz on this project. The heating plant will be efficient and cost-effective as it benefits greatly from the flexibility of multiple energy sources. Having the plant located on a former landfill is a very good solution for the local community, and in addition it will contribute to lowering CO₂ emissions,” says Ole Dalby, Managing director of Arcon-Sunmark.

The landfill project in Graz is not the first time that Arcon-Sunmark has transformed a polluted site into a renewable energy facility. Another example of this is located in the Danish town Trustrup-Lyngby where a former mink feed factory was demolished and replaced by a solar heating system with a 7.245 m² collector field.

Storage of surplus energy

The main components of the heating plant in Graz are a CHP (120 kW), a power to heat module (120 kW) and a 2.000 m² solar collector field together with a 2.500 m³ storage tank which will gather the produced energy. An expansion of the solar heating production is planned and if implemented the collector field will reach a total of 10.000 m². Additionally the buffer storage tank can take energy out of the grid and deliver it back later when needed again. This gives flexibility to other heat generators in the whole district heating grid.

Source: Arcon-Sunmark