Austrian energy firm to invest 400 million euro in bioenergy
Quicknote bioenergy investments
Austrian energy firm Wärmebetriebe GmbH, announced [*German] it is investing €400 million in combined heat and power (CHP) biogas and biomass energy systems to serve Eastern and Southern European markets. This makes it one of Europe's single largest investments in the sector.
Wärmebetriebe GmbH's daughter Kelag is already Austria's largest clean energy firm, operating 55 CHP plants and delivering district heating to a dozen of cities and urban agglomerations. 43 of those are fed by biomass and biogass. In total, the company produces some 900 million kilowatthours per year, 10% of which are green kilowatts. The investment is aimed at expanding the share of green power, through the construction of biomass power plants for electricity generation and biogas infrastructures to bring the green gas to households via pipelines.
Kelag aims to develop markets in Northern Italy, Southern Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulargia and Romania. CEO Günter Zweiner says that "the first plants in these countries will be built early next year and will be operational before the winter sets in."
Zweiner observes an important trend in the emerging bioenergy market: it is getting more and more international, with companies investing abroad and sourcing (processed or raw) bioenergy feedstocks internationally. (See our earlier post on international bioenergy trade and on the development of bioterminals in Europe - with Antwerp's plans to become a leading 'bioport' as a case-study).
In Europe, investments in biomass and biogas are becoming important ways to diversify the continent's energy portfolio. High energy prices and the problematic relationship with Russia -- Europe's main natural gas supplier -- have lead to a perception of rising long-term energy supply insecurity. Bioenergy can contribute to curbing this trend. Recently, an advisor to the German government said biogas alone can replace all Russian natural gas imports by 2020 (earlier post) [entry ends here].
bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: biogas :: biomass :: CHP :: bioenergy trade :: Austria ::
Austrian energy firm Wärmebetriebe GmbH, announced [*German] it is investing €400 million in combined heat and power (CHP) biogas and biomass energy systems to serve Eastern and Southern European markets. This makes it one of Europe's single largest investments in the sector.
Wärmebetriebe GmbH's daughter Kelag is already Austria's largest clean energy firm, operating 55 CHP plants and delivering district heating to a dozen of cities and urban agglomerations. 43 of those are fed by biomass and biogass. In total, the company produces some 900 million kilowatthours per year, 10% of which are green kilowatts. The investment is aimed at expanding the share of green power, through the construction of biomass power plants for electricity generation and biogas infrastructures to bring the green gas to households via pipelines.
Kelag aims to develop markets in Northern Italy, Southern Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulargia and Romania. CEO Günter Zweiner says that "the first plants in these countries will be built early next year and will be operational before the winter sets in."
Zweiner observes an important trend in the emerging bioenergy market: it is getting more and more international, with companies investing abroad and sourcing (processed or raw) bioenergy feedstocks internationally. (See our earlier post on international bioenergy trade and on the development of bioterminals in Europe - with Antwerp's plans to become a leading 'bioport' as a case-study).
In Europe, investments in biomass and biogas are becoming important ways to diversify the continent's energy portfolio. High energy prices and the problematic relationship with Russia -- Europe's main natural gas supplier -- have lead to a perception of rising long-term energy supply insecurity. Bioenergy can contribute to curbing this trend. Recently, an advisor to the German government said biogas alone can replace all Russian natural gas imports by 2020 (earlier post) [entry ends here].
bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: biogas :: biomass :: CHP :: bioenergy trade :: Austria ::
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