Taufkirchen: Pioneer project for CO₂-neutral heat supply started

Taufkirchen: Pioneer project for CO₂-neutral heat supply started

The implementation of climate goals in Germany is gaining momentum. By mid-2028, all municipalities are obliged to develop their climate protection plans in order to become CO₂ neutral by 2045. These plans are based on three essential pillars: electricity generation from renewable energies, mobility and CO₂-free heating. While many communities are still in the starting blocks, Taufkirchen/Vils in the Erding district shows how you can be proactive and one step ahead. There are already advanced concepts in the drawer that could serve as a model for other regions with less planning zeal. This is reported by the South German newspaper.

Taufkirchen with its 11,000 inhabitants offers a stable mix of industry, trade, services and agriculture, the main crop of which is corn. The Taufkirchen municipal utilities were founded 15 years ago to create their own infrastructure for electricity, heat and natural gas. The four district heating networks that the community operates are supplied with biogas. Taufkirchen relies on an energy mix that consists of 80% electricity and 20% process heat.

Heating challenges

A major problem is the heating of many residential buildings, especially those built between 1950 and 1980, which are often powered by oil or gas. In more rural areas such as the suburbs of Munich, the supply of district heating from biogas plants is seen as a promising solution. The Federal Government With the Climate Protection Plan 2050, has developed a comprehensive concept that shows the way to a largely greenhouse gas-neutral Germany by 2050, which also includes concrete measures to reduce emissions in the building sector.

As far as the expansion of district heating supply is concerned, Taufkirchen has presented a strategic concept that provides for test areas. These could be particularly beneficial for rural regions. The discussion about options such as the use of biomethane or hydrogen is already underway. However, the community's pioneering role is also accompanied by challenges, because there was not only a lot of interest in the region, but also negative experiences with biogas plants.

Trust and responsibility

Environmental disasters in neighboring communities such as villages raise questions, particularly when operators have been convicted of environmentally harmful practices but escaped with only small fines. In Ried, an operator even threatened to switch off the supply if residents did not sign new contracts at higher prices. Such incidents are not particularly helpful when it comes to strengthening trust in the industry, especially since supplying energy via biogas plants often represents an economic tightrope walk. The main business of many operators is electricity production, not heat, which can lead to financial risks.

The positive side of the matter is that renewable energies, especially wind energy and biomass, make a significant contribution to avoiding greenhouse gases that are harmful to the climate. According to that Federal Environment Agency Renewable energies have already avoided 256 million tons of CO2 equivalents in 2024. With clever and sustainable management, Taufkirchen can contribute to the realization of climate goals as a pioneer in the area of ​​renewable heat supply and at the same time keep the well-being of its citizens in mind.