In Vienna, wastewater is pumped for heating without Russian gas

Vienna has developed a wastewater pumping system used to supply around 56,000 homes. Objective: reduce dependence on Russian gas.

Share:

Vienne pompage eau usées

Gain full professional access to energynews.pro from 4.90$/month.
Designed for decision-makers, with no long-term commitment.

Over 30,000 articles published since 2021.
150 new market analyses every week to decode global energy trends.

Monthly Digital PRO PASS

Immediate Access
4.90$/month*

No commitment – cancel anytime, activation in 2 minutes.

*Special launch offer: 1st month at the indicated price, then 14.90 $/month, no long-term commitment.

Annual Digital PRO Pass

Full Annual Access
99$/year*

To access all of energynews.pro without any limits

*Introductory annual price for year one, automatically renewed at 149.00 $/year from the second year.

In Vienna, a plant uses wastewater to provide heating for around 56,000 households. The system, developed by Wien Energie, comprises three large heat pumps. These pumps harness the heat of wastewater from the nearby wastewater treatment plant. A method that replaces the use of fossil fuels with a local, renewable energy source.

System design and operation

The system captures six degrees Celsius of heat from wastewater, which is then re-injected into the city’s heating network. The 1,300-kilometer network is one of the largest on the continent. Project manager Linda Kirchberger explains that this technology enables efficient energy recovery. The system is designed to be fully operational and environmentally sustainable.

Reducing dependence on Russian gas

This project will enable Vienna to reduce its dependence on natural gas, most of which is imported from Russia. At present, over 40% of the energy used for heating and hot water in Vienna comes from natural gas. The aim is to extend the new system to 112,000 homes by 2027, diversifying the city’s energy supply sources.

European collaboration and technology

Specific equipment for the installation was supplied by a Johnson Controls plant in France. This cooperation illustrates Europe’s interest and ability to innovate in the field of sustainable heating. Other European cities are now watching Vienna, considering similar solutions for harnessing heat from wastewater, considered an abundant and under-utilized resource.

In 2018, the European Union recognized wastewater as a renewable energy source, highlighting the potential of such initiatives in reducing CO2 emissions. The Vienna project is part of a wider effort to combat climate change, by promoting sustainable heating solutions. Analyses by Norwegian company Rystad Energy and comments by experts such as Lars Nitter Havro confirm the importance of these technologies for achieving energy independence and reducing environmental impact.

Baker Hughes joins the development of the second phase of the Hell’s Kitchen project in California, targeting 500 megawatts of geothermal energy to power energy-intensive data centres.
Baker Hughes will supply Fervo Energy with key equipment for five geothermal ORC plants as part of the Cape Station Phase II project in Utah, United States.
A long-term extension secures continuous baseload geothermal power supply to California’s main utilities while strengthening financial visibility in the energy sector.
The inauguration of the Tanawon geothermal site, with a capacity of 22 megawatts, marks a milestone in the expansion of the Philippines’ energy park with local solutions of low carbon footprint.
The rise in investments and the boom in binary cycle technologies are placing geothermal energy at the heart of global energy strategies, driven by heat pump demand and Asian ambitions.
Daldrup & Söhne AG has won an EU-wide tender for drilling geothermal wells in Pullach, a large-scale project that could enhance the economic appeal of geothermal energy in Germany.
The Bureau of Land Management removes rules deemed obsolete to facilitate the development of geothermal projects, announcing new geothermal lease auctions in California and Idaho.
Geothermal Radar unveils an interactive mapping tool and global thermal model designed to support governments and companies in identifying and developing new geothermal sites internationally.
North America registers record funding of $1.7 billion in the first quarter of 2025, driven by emerging innovative techniques exploiting previously inaccessible geothermal resources, according to recent analysis by Wood Mackenzie.
Globeleq and African Trade & Investment Development Insurance finalise a payment guarantee for the Menengai geothermal project (35 MW), securing financing ahead of its planned operational launch in Kenya.
Ignis Energy closes its $13.6mn Series A funding round, gathering international players to finance geothermal projects in the United States and Türkiye, now entering the technical maturity phase.
Austrian oil group OMV announces a seismic campaign starting in December 2025 in the Graz region, aiming to identify potential deep geothermal reservoirs suitable for local energy production.
Saint-Nazaire Agglo and Dalkia officially sign a Public Service Delegation contract for a 37-kilometre urban heating network, primarily fuelled by thermal recovery and local biomass, operational from 2030.
Ormat Technologies acquires the Blue Mountain geothermal power plant in Nevada from Cyrq Energy, enhancing its energy generation capacity to 1,268 MW, with potential expansion through technical upgrades planned in the short term.
Unit 2 of the Lumut Balai geothermal plant, with a capacity of 55 MW, has successfully synchronized to the Indonesian national grid, paving the way for full commercial operation scheduled by the end of June 2025.
A new report states that the US state could reach 163 GW of geothermal capacity through a set of public measures and expertise drawn from its oil sector.
Eavor Technologies secures an additional CA$138mn from the Canada Growth Fund for its geothermal project in Germany, reinforcing its operational base in Canada.
Project InnerSpace and Indonesia's IESR join forces to accelerate national geothermal development, estimated at 3,000 GW, with a strategic report expected in the autumn.
Advances in enhanced and closed-loop geothermal systems are drawing growing interest from governments and tech giants, despite critical cost reductions still needed for competitiveness.
Enertech Global will supply heat pumps for a 1,500-home project in partnership with Dandelion Energy, marking one of the largest residential geothermal deployments ever undertaken in the United States.

Log in to read this article

You'll also have access to a selection of our best content.