Biomass cogeneration plant in Dortmund: future of heat supply secured!

Biomass cogeneration plant in Dortmund: future of heat supply secured!

A new project is growing in Dortmund-Derne that is fundamentally changing the city: a biomass thermal power plant is to be built on the former Gneisenau mine site. Biowärme Dinslaken GmbH plans to not only generate electricity and heat, but also to significantly improve the city's climate-friendly district heating supply. The building, which is intended to replace the Deutsche Gasrußwerke heat source that will be discontinued in 2025, is intended to supply around 8,000 households as well as schools and public institutions with heat. There really is something going on for the people of Dortmund!

A boiler house with a height of around 35 meters is being built on an area of ​​around 2.3 hectares - that's about three football fields. For comparison, that's as tall as a regular thirteen-story skyscraper. The associated chimney will also rise to a height of 40 meters. Important to know: This chimney primarily emits purified exhaust gases such as water vapor and carbon dioxide, while no relevant odor emissions are to be expected. However, in certain weather conditions, plumes of steam can become visible for a short time, which could certainly surprise some residents.

Environmentally friendly energy for everyone

Another plus for Dortmund is that the air quality should not be noticeably affected thanks to strict monitoring in accordance with the Federal Immission Control Act. Biowärme Dinslaken GmbH has also taken precautions when it comes to noise: special silencers and foundations ensure that the emission guidelines are adhered to. According to the planning, there will be around 15 truck trips per working day, which will only take place during the day - so this will be more acceptable for the residents.

Public participation for residents runs until November 17, 2025. The city has invited residents to express their opinions and concerns. After this period, the statements are examined, plans are revised and the council decision follows. Construction is not scheduled to begin until 2027 at the earliest, which means that the people of Dortmund will soon be able to prepare for the coming changes.

Shaping a green future

The initiative to switch to biomass not only helps improve local energy supplies, but could also bring numerous environmental benefits. Industry experts explain that such projects can play a significant role in climate protection. Switching your heating system, for example from fossil fuels to sustainable wood pellets, can save several tons of CO2 every year. In just 20 years, for example, over 147 tons of CO2 could be saved - making heating twice as much fun!

In summary, the planned construction of the biomass cogeneration plant on the former Gneisenau mine site is not only a step towards environmentally friendly energy, but also an important signal for the entire Dortmund region. This shows that the city, together with its citizens, is shaping a green future that will benefit future generations.

For further information and news on this topic, those interested can read the reports from Ruhr24, Dortmund.de and Bioenergy FNR track.