Jens Kerstan, Senator for the Environment, termed the project a "beacon on the way to decarbonizing the energy industry." The goal is to absorb more electricity from renewable sources into the grid and avoid shutting down wind turbines during high winds. He added: "We're taking an important step toward reducing CO2 in district heating. We can reduce the use of coal at the Wedel CHP plant during its remaining life until 2025, and we are reducing the curtailment of electricity from wind power." The new plant could save up to 100,000 tons of CO2 per annum.
Plant to convert surplus wind power to heat and supply 27,000 households from late 2022
Construction work began Wednesday (September 22, 2021) on one of Germany's largest power-to-heat plants in Wedel. The plant will go into operation when surplus wind in the north can no longer be transported on power lines. Around 27,000 households in Hamburg will receive climate-neutral supplies from late 2022.
Avoiding closure of wind power plants
Second power-to-heat plant in Hamburg
Based on the principle of an immersion heater, the power-to-heat plant will use wind power to heat water, which will then be fed into the district heating network. The investment of EUR 31.5 million will be borne by the grid operator 50 Hertz. The power-to-heat plant in Wedel is the second of its kind in the Hanseatic city's district heating network. Surplus wind power has been converted into heat in Hamburg's Karolinenviertel district since late 2018.
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