Polytechnik

Polytechnik Supplies a Sustainable Energy Solutions for Municipal Utilities in Hungary

One of the most modern plants in the country, a 15 MW hot water heating plant, was recently commissioned by the municipal utilities of Kaposvar, a Hungarian town with a population of almost 59,000. The biomass plant, supplied by Austrian specialist Polytechnik from Weissenbach an der Triesting, replaces fossil fuels with waste wood.

The new 2 x 7.5 MW boiler plant supplies 7,000 homes and 288 additional buildings with sustainably generated heat via the district heating network of Kaposvar, which has a population of 70,000. The plant is one of the first to support Hungary’s strategy of replacing fossil-fuel-powered district heating systems with renewable energy to improve sustainability and reduce the overall carbon footprint.

Heat From Locally Sourced Biomass

The heat is fed into the city’s district heating network via a newly constructed pair of pipelines.. During the heating period, the biomass plant generates around 80 to 85% of the required heat for the town. The fuel used is regional residual forest wood, with a high proportion of bark, supplied by Sefag, a Hungarian company specializing in the management and of forests.

When constructing the plant, Polytechnik drew on its experience from more than 3,000 projects. Founded in 1965 as a two-man operation, the company has grown into one of the world’s leading suppliers of biomass combustion, wood gasification, torrefaction, and carbonization plants. With branches in over ten countries, and production facilities in Europe and Asia, Polytechnik is a globally active company.

In light of the challenges facing future generations, Polytechnik takes its share of responsibility by contributing fully and with conviction to a sustainable and renewable energy future. The company continually works to improve established technologies while also focusing on the development of new ones.

The primary research focus is on developing solutions to replace fossil carbon in the steel industry with CO2-neutral, high-quality biochar made from various inexpensive biomass raw materials. Polytechnik is pushing its research further by aiming to combine decentralized biochar production with the efficient generation of green electricity and heat from pyrolysis gases.

“Green Coal” for Defossilization

An industrial torrefaction plant is currently being developed in Finland, which will produce up to 60,000 t/year of green coal.

Managing Director Lukas Schirnhofer states: “Production is running at full speed, and the main components will be delivered by Polytechnik at the beginning of December. We currently anticipate commissioning in the second quarter of 2024. This project in Finland will be a milestone for this technology – it will be the largest commercial plant in Europe to date, with more to follow. Demand is high, and not just in Europe.”

Manufacturer: Polytechnik Luft- und Feuerungstechnik GmbH, 2564 Weissenbach (Austria)

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