Wien Energie has installed two large heat pumps with a total thermal output of around 16 megawatts at the Spittelau waste incineration plant. The aim of the project is to use the energy generated during the incineration process even more efficiently and to make a further contribution to the decarbonisation of Vienna's district heating system. The project was launched in 2024.
Sustainable heat utilisation at the Spittelau waste incineration plant
The large heat pumps use the energy from the condensed water vapour in the flue gas and raise the temperature of the district heating water from around 70 °C to around 90 °C. This makes the plant one of the technological pioneers in Central Europe.
Planning, implementation and technical details
The general planning of the plant was carried out by ARGE iC–Enrag. CES was responsible as a subcontractor for project management, local construction supervision and the coordination of other sub-planners. In addition, a pressure boosting system was implemented in the area of heat supply for the so-called Spittelauer Stich.
A key aspect of the project is the resource-efficient use of water. The condensate produced is treated using ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis and returned to the process. This reduces the amount of water required from the Danube Canal by up to 125,000 m³ per year.
Contribution to climate protection and security of supply
Since early September 2025, the plant has been supplying around 16,000 households with climate-friendly district heating. At the same time, around 22,000 tonnes of CO₂ are saved annually. The use of large heat pumps increases the efficiency of the entire waste incineration plant by around 13% to over 95%. This means that almost all of the energy contained in the waste is made usable.
Media coverage
The project has also attracted attention beyond the professional community. Both ORF Vienna and the City of Vienna have reported on it, and the facility was also featured on the programme ‘Wien heute’ (Vienna Today). The media coverage underscores the importance of the project as a forward-looking example of sustainable energy generation in urban areas.
Further reports:
ORF Wien: Neue Großwärmepumpe in der Spittelau - wien.ORF.at
Stadt Wien: Kein Mist: Wien Energie nutzt Wärme in der Spittelau jetzt dreifach - Presse-Service
Kurier: Grüne Fernwärme: Neue Großwärmepumpe in Spittelau | Kurier
Wien heute vom 29.01.2026, ab 14:51 Min: Meldungen - Wien heute vom 29.01.2026 - ORF ON
