Vienna's €20B ($21B) energy overhaul targets independence from Russian gas
The capital of Austria has devised a plan worth €20 ($21) billion, aimed at achieving independence from imported natural gas from Russia. It will utilize heat pumps, new drilling initiatives, and increased energy efficiency, as reported by Bloomberg.
The state energy company OMV AG is working on the outskirts of Vienna. Drilling is underway as part of research on a large reservoir of boiling water known as the Aderklaaer Conglomerate, located 2 miles beneath the Austrian capital, reports Bloomberg. Geothermal energy is expected to assist in reducing dependence on Russian gas.
This effort is part of a €20 ($21) billion plan focused on overhauling the Vienna heating system through drilling, extensive heat pumps, and energy efficiency initiatives, the agency notes.
Companies plan to harness the boiling water to power large heat pumps, providing hot water to 20,000 homes in Vienna.
Heat pumps, which extract ambient heat from the air, water, or ground and concentrate it, are more efficient at generating heat than gas-powered systems, Bloomberg emphasizes.
They are also utilized by Vienna's waste incineration plants. The main waste processing center in Vienna uses a giant heat pump to generate more energy than it consumes.
