immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Abwärmenutzung

  • District heating from wastewater to decarbonise the municipality

    District heating from wastewater to decarbonise the municipality

    The energy company CKW, part of the Axpo Group, has been awarded the contract for the prequalification of the planned district heating network in Richterswil. With the district heating network, which is central to the municipality’s energy and climate concept, the energy company wants to launch a long-term partnership for decarbonisation, according to a press release.

    The energy network will mainly be operated using waste heat from the Richterswil wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Additional heat production for peak load and security coverage will be evaluated in the future. The aim is for commercial enterprises and residents to benefit from an economically attractive offer. “We are delighted to have been awarded the contract and are convinced that we can plan an economical and sustainable heat supply in Richterswil,” Angela Krainer, Head of Energy at CKW, is quoted as saying in the press release.

    In future, CKW will be responsible for the entire project planning of the heat network. The collaboration between the municipality and the company is to be concretised in the summer and the next project steps are to be taken in autumn 2025.

  • New data center strengthens digital infrastructure in Winterthur

    New data center strengthens digital infrastructure in Winterthur

    The data center operator NorthC Schweiz AG inaugurated its new data center in Winterthur on 20 March. The new data center is located on an area of around 1100 square meters in the Turm Areal. It will play a central role as a hub for regional data communication, according to a press release.

    The data center offers SMEs and large companies in the region individual colocation solutions, secure and direct cloud connections as well as guaranteed bandwidths and speeds for business applications. The connection to the data centers in Münchenstein BL and Biel is intended to ensure reliable connections to a large number of cloud and IT service providers.

    The data center currently has a capacity of 1.8 megawatts and is powered entirely by renewable energy. According to the press release, NorthC plans to use its 2030 strategy to initiate projects that will enable the waste heat generated in Winterthur to be put to good use in the future.

    According to Patrik Hofer, NorthC relies on regional data centers with an international reach. “With our regional approach, we can offer tailor-made solutions for the Winterthur region that meet the high standards of quality, security and sustainability,” the Managing Director Switzerland at NorthC is quoted as saying in the press release.

    According to Ralph Peterli, Managing Director of the Winterthur Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Association, Winterthur is already home to many leading technology companies. “It’s good to know that with NorthC, a regional company is offering stable and secure IT infrastructures on the city’s territory,” said Peterli, according to the press release.

    NorthC Switzerland is based in Biel and is a subsidiary of the NorthC Group based in Oude Meer in the Netherlands.

  • Cooperation in data centre optimisation

    Cooperation in data centre optimisation

    BKW and the start-up company K51 from Eschenz are working together on an innovative project for data centres. K51 places servers and data centres in locations such as greenhouses so that the waste heat from the computing power can be used for heating. “We deliver fossil-free heat free of charge and utilise computing power as an innovative fuel,” Benoît Stroelin, co-founder and CEO of K51, is quoted as saying in a press release from BKW. “Our goal is to significantly reduce energy waste in high-performance computing (HPC) and thus make a relevant contribution to decarbonisation.”

    In collaboration with BKW, K51’s first regular data centre has been awarded a customised power supply contract. The operation of the facility is controlled by a daily spot price forecast from BKW Energy so that the computing services are carried out during the most favourable hours.

    In addition, BKW connects the K51 data centres to the balancing energy market. In this way, the Bern-based energy supplier can switch the individual data centres on or off as required to maintain grid stability. “In terms of system control and flexibility, K51 fulfils exactly the requirements needed for such a model,” said Thomas Egli, Head of Business Enabling at BKW Energy, in the press release. “We are working closely together to realise additional potential, for example in the area of balancing energy.”

  • District heating network in the lower Wiggertal is getting closer

    District heating network in the lower Wiggertal is getting closer

    The energy companies Primeo Energie from Münchenstein and StWZ Energie AG are in the planning stages for the district heating network Fernwärme Unteres Wiggertal (FUWI). According to a press release, their solution envisages the integration of existing networks.

    “The project is an important contribution to the decarbonisation of the heat supply. StWZ and Primeo are convinced that the district heating network in the lower Wiggertal can be realised most effectively if we join forces in a joint company,” Michael Schneider, Managing Director of Primeo Wärme AG, is quoted as saying. The first step will be to expand the district heating network in Oftringen and Zofingen and to integrate the existing district heating networks of both municipalities. Wood combustion in the StWZ energy centres and waste heat from the waste incineration plant (KVA) of Erzo (Entsorgung Region Zofingen) are to be used as climate-neutral heat energy substitutes.

    In addition to StWZ Energie AG Zofingen, EW Oftringen AG and EW Rothrist AG were initially involved in the project. Contrary to the plans, the two regional energy suppliers have withdrawn their commitment to join the company for the time being for various reasons. However, according to the press release, both companies are behind the project for CO2-neutral district heating. Participation at a later date has not been ruled out.

    The question of a future increase in heat consumption from summer 2027 is also still open. The Oftringen electorate will be asked to vote on the construction of a new waste incineration plant and the additional land required for this in November 2025.

  • Sustainable heat supply planned in Bülach

    Sustainable heat supply planned in Bülach

    Energie 360° and the town of Bülach are starting to set up an energy network, for which the energy centre will be built from 2026. According to a press release from the energy company, the plan is to utilise the waste heat from the Furt wastewater treatment plant for heating and hot water.

    The plant offers potential for up to 300 properties. This could save around 2600 tonnes of CO2 per year. According to the energy service provider, the Bülach districts of Hinterbirch and Grampen as well as the city centre are to be supplied with regionally generated and CO2-neutral heat from autumn 2028. Homeowners and property managers can already use an online platform to check connection options to the energy network and calculate indicative prices.

    Geothermal probes are not permitted in Bülach’s groundwater protection zones, and the energy network is “a central piece of the puzzle” in the city’s energy and climate strategy, according to the explanatory statement. “The energy network fits in with our endeavours to ensure that the town of Bülach has a modern and sustainable infrastructure,” says town councillor Andrea Spycher.

    The investment sum for the energy network will be borne by Energie 360°. According to the energy company, the project could also be the start of a future district heating network. Energie 360° is currently examining opportunities to utilise other sustainable energy sources with the aim of a large-scale supply of local district heating.

  • Detached house is heated with Bitcoin mining

    Detached house is heated with Bitcoin mining

    The first RY3T ONE heats an entire detached house. This has now been announced by the company RY3T from the canton of St.Gallen. It is a server heating system that utilises the waste heat from Bitcoin mining. It was installed by an installation partner together with a boiler and buffer storage tank.

    “The relevance of Bitcoin is increasing every day,” says RY3T on its website. “Bitcoin mining is needed for millions of people to have access to a secure payment system,” it continues. “We use the resulting waste heat to heat your home.”

    According to RY3T, such server heaters can be more ecological than heat pumps. Firstly, they turn the waste heat from computers into a resource instead of simply releasing it into the air. Secondly, although heat pumps are more efficient than server heaters, they do not consume any additional electricity to generate heat. And thirdly, server heaters utilise existing technology and, unlike heat pumps, do not require any additional components or coolants.

    Some of the first RY3T ONEs will initially be installed as a supplementary heating system. “The reason: customers first want to familiarise themselves with the device and experience the warmth of Bitcoin mining.” However, a later upgrade to a primary heating source is possible. The installation itself is similar to that of a heat pump. In the weeks following the initial installation, a total of ten more devices will reportedly be set up and connected in private homes.

  • New data centre in Geneva feeds waste heat into the district heating network

    New data centre in Geneva feeds waste heat into the district heating network

    INFOMANIAK, a pan-European cloud provider and developer of web technologies, has inaugurated a new data centre at the company’s Geneva site in the presence of representatives of the authorities and project partners. According to a press release, the electricity consumed by the 10,000 servers installed underground at the centre can be reused as heating energy via the district heating network. Although it is an energy-intensive facility, the data centre is therefore considered an “active player in energy recovery”.

    In November 2024, a start was made on converting 100% of the electricity consumed in this data centre into heat and feeding it into the cantonal district heating network. The server park is currently using 25 per cent of its capacity, and the system should be running at full capacity by 2028. An output of 1.7 megawatts is then expected for the district heating network. “This amount of energy can be used to heat 6,000 Minergie-A households or give 20,000 people a five-minute shower every day,” the press release states.

    The new data centre is intended to change the previous loss of waste heat with a new functional principle. It transfers the heat generated from electricity at a temperature of 40 to 45 degrees to an air-water heat exchanger, which heats a hot water circuit. Heat pumps then allow the water temperature to be increased in order to channel the waste heat into the district heating network.

    The location below a residential area also contributes to the positive climate effect. As a result, there would be no impact on the cityscape. This will solve several major challenges in the cloud industry and take steps towards greater technological independence in Europe, according to the statement.