Regenerative Local Heating Network and Biogas Plants of Pfronstetten

By project Down to Earth

Published on 27 November 2024

Germany

Tübingen

Pfronstetten

About this good practice

Two biogas plants have been built in Pfronstetten-Aichelau since the 1990s. The plants were intended to create new income opportunities for the operators and surrounding farmers, increase energy security in the community and contribute to climate protection.
As electricity from biogas is climate-neutral, biogas plants avoid many climate-damaging greenhouse gases compared to electricity generation from fossil fuels. They also offer farmers in the region the opportunity to make some of their agricultural by-products available as renewable organic raw materials to supply these plants.
Over time, a local heating network has developed from the biogas plants, which uses the heat from the power plants to heat neighbouring residential buildings and a commercial building. This offers citizens a secure and climate-friendly energy and heating supply.
In 2024, the heat from the combined heat and power plants are used to supply a total of 14 neighbouring residential buildings and one business with local heating.
The Biogas Aichelau GmbH & Co KG is planning to further expand the heating network to connect more residents and businesses in the village to the system. The expansion plans are closely linked to the renewal of the heating pipelines. As part of the expansion, three more households, the new village community centre and new buildings of the nearby company are to be connected to the network. This will further increase the concept's contribution to climate protection targets.

Expert opinion

As biogas technology has the potential to play a major role in the transition to a circular economy and the decarbonization of the energy sector, this good practice is in line with the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and Climate policies. Across the European Union, somewhere between 118 and 138 million tons of bio-waste are generated every year, of which currently only about 40% is effectively recycled. National, regional and local governments are required to provide separate collection or recycling of biowaste at the source under the revised Waste Framework Directive. As up to 50% of municipal solid waste is organic, the bio-waste fraction plays an important role in the transition to circular economy and contributes significantly to meeting the overall recycling target of 65% by 2035. Treating biowaste in a biogas plant contributes to achieving these targets. In this good practice, biogas plants and local heating networks are currently subsidised, which is important to note. The presented solution could be especially inspiring to rural areas in the EU.

Magda Michaliková

Works at Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform

Resources needed

The operator and two full-time employees run the facilities in Pfronstetten. Regarding financial investments, no data is available. In 2023, the Ministry of the Environment Baden-Württemberg announced to financially support the expansion of the heating network in the municipality with 300,000 Euro.

Evidence of success

Biogas plants contribute to climate protection, as electricity and heat from biogas are 100 % climate neutral. Biogas plants can save up to 90 % of greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels, depending on the type of plant and substrate. The locals benefit from the biogas plants and the heating network, as the installations generate income for the operator, supply 14 households with heat, support 10 farmers who provide raw materials for the plants, and create new employment opportunities.

Potential for learning or transfer

Many villages in peripheral rural areas of central Europe have similar climatic conditions and economic structures to those on the Swabian-Alb. It can therefore be assumed that the concept observed in Pfronstetten-Aichelau can also be transferred to similar peripheral rural regions in central Europe.
In this context, it is to note that the use of biogas plants and local heating networks are currently subsidized in Germany. The approach is thus likely to be useful for countries and regions in which the use of renewable and climate-friendly energies is actively promoted.