The new Net-Zero-Industry-Valley
100 % Renewables in the Reallabor Weiz+
The WEIZplus region in Eastern Styria, comprising 41 municipalities and 120,000 residents, plans to bid farewell to fossil fuels in the future and thereby take control of its own energy supply. The region’s aim is to transform the energy system proactively, collaboratively and in a way that generates regional value.
This initiative convinced an international jury from the Austrian Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology of the innovative approach of the overall ‘EnergieZukunft WEIZplus’ project, which will be supported in future by local authorities, regional businesses, energy infrastructure operators and the local population.
With this project, the WEIZplus region now operates one of a total of three ‘real-world laboratories’ across Austria and is thus in the spotlight not only nationally but also internationally. 5.2 million euros in federal and state funding has been committed for the project’s initial phase.
Press conference to present the flagship project on 7 February 2024
Have a look: Inside Heizwerk Wollsdorf
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More InformationFOSSILFREE4INDUSTRY - PHASE-OUT OF FOSSIL GAS FOR THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY
A transdisciplinary project team comprising 29 partners, led by AEE INTEC, is working on the ‘phase-out’ of fossil fuel energy supplies – and in particular fossil gas – for the numerous industrial plants in the area around the Weiz and Gleisdorf urban corridor.
The flagship project has set itself the aim of addressing current challenges and testing the relevant technological issues involved in the systematic replacement of fossil gas in industrial plants using five large-scale model solutions, implementing these solutions and providing scientific support. In doing so, it pursues multi-faceted approaches which, when combined and considered synergistically, are intended to ensure the achievement of the overarching goal: the phase-out of fossil gas for industry.
The flagship project “Fossilfree4Industry” represents a good-practice model with high potential for replication in terms of future solution elements, processes and methods in the field of industrial decarbonisation. It demonstrates that phasing out fossil fuels in industry is both possible and economically viable. This will significantly accelerate the regional energy transition and help the region become a flagship region throughout Austria. The experience gained from this project can subsequently be transferred to a wide range of other regions and countries.
‘As part of the Reallabor Weiz+ flagship project “Fossil free 4 Industry”, AEE INTEC, the Green Tech Valley Cluster and their many partners are demonstrating a 100 per cent climate-resilient industry in the form of an innovative Net-Zero Industry Valley.’
Christoph Brunner, CEO AEE INTEC
Facts & Partner
Client:
The FossilFree4Industry flagship project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management (BMLUK) and is being carried out as part of the ‘100% Renewable Energy Real-World Laboratories’ flagship initiative under the FTI priority area ‘Energy Transition’.
Project Coordinator
Project partners:
- AGRANA Fruit Austria GmbH
- AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH
- ANDRITZ HYDRO GmbH
- BIOS Bioenergiesysteme GmbH
- BWG Biomasse Fernwärme GmbH
- ECOP Technologies GmbH
- ENAS Energietechnik und Anlagenbau GmbH
- Energie Agentur Steiermark gemeinnützige GmbH
- Energie Steiermark Green Power GmbH
- Energiegenossenschaft WEIZplus
- Energienetze Steiermark GmbH
- Energieregion Weiz-Gleisdorf GmbH
- EnviCare Engineering GmbH
- evon GmbH
- Fernwärme Weiz GmbH
- Geo5 GmbH
- Green Tech Valley Cluster
- HYCENTA RESEARCH GMBH
- JOANNEUM RESEARCH Forschungsgesellschaft mbH
- nah Wärme St. Ruprecht GmbH
- Pink GmbH
- REENAG Holding GmbH
- SGE-Energie aus Biogas GmbH
- Siemens Energy Austria GmbH
- StadtLABOR Innovationen für urbane Lebensqualität GmbH
- Stadtwerke Gleisdorf GmbH
- W.E.I.Z. Forschungs & Entwicklungs gGmbH
- Weitzer Energie GmbH
Statements
"A circular economy that involves the local community. What is being researched here and developed in collaboration with the local community should, in future, also be implemented in other regions of Austria. This approach taken by the EnergyZukunft WEIZplus real-world laboratory has impressed an international jury, and we at the Ministry for Climate Action are supporting it as part of the ‘100% Renewable Energy Laboratories’ programme. I am delighted that this initiative is helping to bring about the phase-out of fossil fuels and wish everyone involved every success.”
“We can only successfully phase out fossil fuels – oil and gas – if we all pull together. And that is precisely what is happening here in the region with the EnergieZukunft WEIZplus project. It demonstrates that the energy transition is not only necessary to free us from our dependence on energy supplies from abroad, but also that this transformation brings with it great opportunities and benefits: namely, taking energy generation into our own hands and thereby retaining the entire value chain – from planning, through construction, operation and maintenance right through to the distribution of energy – and the associated jobs within the region. That is why the state is supporting this pioneering project.”
“The EnergieZukunft WEIZplus project charts our course towards energy independence, a genuine circular economy and greater sustainability. It covers a broad spectrum, ranging from thermal building refurbishment and regional development to the successful implementation of the energy transition. To tackle all these challenges, we must make the best possible use of regional conditions. The high availability of biomass from our Styrian forests, for example, is an asset that we must make the most of. The EnergieZukunft WEIZplus initiative raises awareness of the right mix of measures that will enable the entire region to operate in a climate-neutral and resource-efficient manner in the future.”
“Through our project, EnergieZukunft WEIZplus, we aim to make a significant contribution to the energy transition. To achieve this, however, the project must not stop at the municipal boundary, but must be considered on a broader scale – at regional level. This will enable us to harness shared potential, reduce investment costs, and prevent the outflow of added value. At the same time, with ‘EnergieZukunft WEIZplus’, we are taking control of security of supply ourselves. Nor will we leave the pricing of potential sites in the region or resources for energy generation to external investors. With ‘EnergieZukunft WEIZplus’, we aim to make an important contribution to a secure and affordable energy supply and to ensure that the local population, businesses, farmers and local authorities in the region benefit from it.”
"As the manager of a manufacturing company, I am familiar with the perspectives and challenges faced by industrial and commercial enterprises in the WEIZplus region. Our shared goal is to phase out oil and fossil gas in order to ensure secure energy supplies and to produce in an environmentally sustainable and competitive manner. The challenge lies particularly for companies with high energy requirements, such as Agrana, in supplying energy for low- and high-temperature processes, as well as the efficient utilisation of waste heat and residual materials. Thanks to the real-world laboratory, we now have access to experts and are working both on in-house solutions and on collaborations for energy supply beyond our own premises to demonstrate how the transition to renewable energy can be achieved."
“As Styria’s largest energy service provider and operator of energy infrastructure, we are collaborating with the WEIZplus region on numerous projects, as well as on planning for future energy supply. Of particular interest to us are the projects currently in the pipeline involving large-scale battery storage and hydrogen production. The electricity required for this comes from renewable sources in the region, in particular from photovoltaic systems, which we are developing jointly with EnergieZukunft WEIZplus.”
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Your Contact Person
in the Green Tech Valley
Markus Simbürger
Projektleiter Climate Solutions
Green Tech Valley Cluster GmbH
+43 316 / 40 77 44 – 14
+43 676 / 5715840
Project
Coordinator
Joachim Kelz
District Heating and Cooling
AEE – Institut für Nachhaltige Technologien
A-8200 Gleisdorf, Feldgasse 19
Tel.: +43 (0)3112 588
j.kelz@aee.at