The biomass heating plant in the south of Perg is getting a highly innovative neighbor: “Nawaro Energie GmbH”, based in the Waldviertel, is expected to put two wood gas systems, each with 500 kilowatts of electricity output and 1,540 kilowatts of heat output, into operation from mid-November. The electricity generated from wood gas for around 2,000 households is fed into the public power grid. The heat generated flows directly into the Bioenergie Perg network. Thanks to an innovative process, bio-charcoal can be obtained for briquettes and fertilizer instead of ashes.
Pioneer for green electricity
The planning of the power plant had already taken place before the current energy crisis broke out, said the managing director of Nawaro, Christian Kirchmeier, yesterday during a visit by the state governor Thomas Stelzer: “Our company has been dealing with regional and sustainable energy generation for 15 years. So we didn’t jump on a moving train here in Perg, we were actually there when the rails were laid.”
The starting product is wood chips – mainly from thinning and damaged wood. This is dried in Perg and then heated. A reduced supply of oxygen ensures that the wood does not burn, but instead decomposes and releases gas. This gas is cooled and then powers two large engines to generate electricity.
“The degree of utilization in the entire process is well over 90 percent,” said project manager Christoph Mazelli. 724 kilograms of wood chips are to be burned in the plant per hour. According to Managing Director Kirchmeier, the production costs for electricity are in a range that could also be successful after the current price rally on the electricity market.
“The plant in Perg is a further step on the way to energy independence and climate neutrality in 2040,” said the governor during the factory tour. He was critical of the EU Parliament’s proposal to no longer fully recognize biomass as a renewable energy source: “It is unacceptable for nuclear power to be given a green coat of paint, while the expansion of biomass should no longer be considered renewable energy.” According to Stelzer, the proposal may be helpful for regions where forests are shrinking. In Upper Austria’s forests, on the other hand, 4.7 million solid cubic meters of wood grow back every year, while only 3.9 million are used.
Source: Nachrichten
