The first CO2-neutral stadium in the world (Lechwerke, Germany)

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Summary

The stadium of German second division football club FC Augsburg, opened in 2009, is top of the league in climate protection. Exclusively renewable energies and bioenergy from renewable raw materials are used for heating and cooling the whole stadium. Normal fossil-fuel heating would have required some 10 000 litres of oil to prepare the pitch heating for a match day in winter. However, the installation of two groundwater heat pumps, backed up by a peak-load bio natural gas boiler in the case of particularly low temperatures, has eliminated the need for oil. And the electricity to operate the system is generated from renewable energies. Utility companies Lechwerke AG and Stadtwerke Augsburg developed the concept together and operate it for FC Augsburg under contract.

Results

Operating costs for the stadium have been significantly reduced thanks to the energy concept. The combination of groundwater heat pumps, peak load bio natural gas boiler and the use of power from renewable energies ensures the stadium is CO2 neutral in terms of energy provision. This saves some 752 tonnes of CO2 a year, meaning a total CO2 saving of 11 280 tonnes over the 15-year contract.

Replicability

The project is a role model in several regards. The energy concept makes the FC Augsburg stadium the first CO2 neutral stadium in the world. Depending on the geological conditions, the whole concept or parts of it can be transferred to other large construction projects – not just football stadiums. The concept for energy provision for the stadium is also a reference throughout Europe regarding the environmentally friendly and efficient heat-pump technology. It is one of the first projects where heat pumps have been used in such dimensions and with such enormous requirements for power. The determining factor for replication is the local availability of sufficient groundwater resources as this constitutes the main energy source for this type of heat pump.

Contact

Lechwerke AG
Arno Pöhlmann
Germany
Tel.: +49 8282 901
arno.poehlmann@lew.de
www.lew.de