MANNHEIM (dpa-AFX) - Mannheim-based energy supplier MVV on Wednesday commissioned what it claims is one of Europe's largest river heat pumps. "By 2040 at the latest, we want to heat in Baden-Württemberg without further fueling the climate crisis," said state Energy Minister Thekla Walker (Greens) at the commissioning in Mannheim on Wednesday. She said it was important to move quickly to take the necessary steps for decarbonization and energy security. She stressed that the heat supply of the future will require not just one technology, but a mix. Other possibilities she mentioned include groundwater, wastewater, biomass and geothermal energy.

According to the company, the heat pump has 20 megawatts of thermal power and seven megawatts of electrical power, saves 10,000 tons of CO2 per year and can supply heat to 3,500 households. The plant was produced by Siemens Energy in Sweden. The plant, located on the site of the large Mannheim power plant, used its cooling water infrastructure to draw about 700 liters of Rhine water per second.

The German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology BMWK is supporting the project as one of a total of five major model projects in Germany. Georg Müller, CEO of MVV, stressed that such solutions are needed because they combine electricity and heat production, known as sector coupling. The company's district heating network is to be completely climate-neutral as early as 2030, and by 2040 the entire operation also wants to achieve this goal. Currently, the share of coal in the heat supply is still 60 percent. By its own account, MVV is the second-largest district heating supplier in Germany.

Christian Maaß, head of department at the BMWK, attested to the fact that the southwest had initiated municipal heating planning at an early stage. The heat turnaround is currently the focus of the federal government. However, there is still a long way to go in Germany, where the share of climate-neutral heat supply is currently only 15 percent. Maaß is certain that large heat pumps will be the standard for district heating supply in the future. According to the information, this will also include seasonal heat storage systems./ssc/DP/tih