Energy generation from solar and wind power is subject to natural fluctuations, as it depends on weather conditions and the time of day or night. Energy demand is also not constant, but varies over the course of the year and according to consumption patterns. In order to reduce the strain on the grids and dependence on external energy suppliers, Fraunhofer UMSICHT is working with other partners on a sustainable concept for cities and municipalities.

The recently launched flagship project "biovolatil" focuses on integrating biomass gasifiers with combined heat and power plants and geothermal storage systems into the existing energy supply. Only sustainable raw materials such as wood chips and pellets are used for gasification in the combined heat and power plants. Thanks to geothermal energy, heat can also be stored and balanced seasonally, which increases the efficiency of the overall system.

Transferability to other locations

The project team is testing the implementation of the concept both in two model municipalities – Oberhausen and Zittau – and in a demonstrator for load-flexible biomass gasification. "We are specifically evaluating the local conditions in urban and rural areas. These include, for example, the availability of biomass and geothermal potential," explains Johannes Voß from Fraunhofer UMSICHT, head of "biovolatil." "Our goal is to demonstrate integration into existing energy systems and thus promote transferability to other locations." The aim is to develop a catalog of criteria that local energy suppliers and operators of corresponding plants can use to assess a diversified energy supply or new applications for their technology.

Project partners and funding

The flagship project "biovolatil" is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE). In addition to the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology UMSICHT, the following partners are part of the project consortium: Burkhardt GmbH, EnProCo Berlin GmbH, Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Infrastructures and Geotechnologies IEG, Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, and the ifeu Institute. Associated partners are Energieversorgung Oberhausen AG and Stadtwerke Zittau GmbH.