Heating with Cold Heat

"Aurich Cold District Heating" is the winner of the "365 Landmarks in the Land of Ideas" competition.


Aurich, 19 August 2011 - The city of Aurich together with Rücker’s Dairy is celebrating their energy concept "Aurich Cold District Heating" as the winner in the nationwide competition "365 Landmarks in the Land of Ideas". The water waste from the local dairy is approx. 30 degrees in temperature. Instead of letting this heat go to waste, the city of Aurich uses this energy to heat a large multi-purpose hall. On a daily basis, this ensures that up to one million litres of waste water serve to generate environmentally friendly energy. The pilot project is funded by the German Federal Environmental Foundation and has already proven itself after a few months. For this reason, the green heating concept "Aurich Cold District Heating" is one of 365 award winners that are awarded each year by the initiative "Germany - Land of Ideas" in cooperation with Deutsche Bank under the auspices of the Federal President Christian Wulff.

Gerd Pallasch of Deutsche Bank in Aurich today identified the district heating project as a "Selected Landmark 2011" and emphasized at the awards ceremony: "The city of Aurich is an outstanding example of innovation in Germany. The use of waste water from the local dairy acts as a heat source and protects our environment."

Mayor Heinz-Werner Windhorst commented on the award: “We are very proud to be a “Selected Landmark” in the land of ideas. Together with Rücker’s Dairy we have achieved an innovative energy concept with exemplary qualities.” This project of using leftover heat from industry to heat public buildings could be implemented in other municipalities. "That's why we entered the competition to present this great idea to the broader public", said Windhorst. That the "City of renewable energy" has now received an award is a fantastic endorsement for Aurich.

"Through this project, we are delighted to have created a supply situation that benefits both the citizens of Aurich and the dairy alike," adds Markus Czeromin, purchaser for Rücker’s Dairy. The idea for the "cold district heating" system was created in collaboration with the city of Aurich and the local dairy; every day, the resulting production waste water leaves the dairy − with year-round temperatures of 30 to 35 degrees Celsius − via a separate discharge pipe into the municipal sewage treatment plant in the city. Since a section of this line had to be renewed, it presented the opportunity to set up a heat transfer station in the middle, to which different heat users can be connected.

"After evaluating the feasibility and cost effectiveness study, it was clear to us that we must accelerate this innovative project," says Czeromin. The energy recovered from waste water is optimally suited for public buildings that require low-temperature heat capacities for their heating needs. In particular, swimming and leisure pools for example benefit with hot water from the "cold district heating".

“A fundamental feature of the concept is that heat is distributed across a circuit in the form of cold district heating," explains Markus Czeromin. This approach has the advantage that the heat is distributed over a short distance and within the user property. Transmission pipelines in heat-insulated design are dispensed with in this heating system. Since early 2010 the Sparkassen Arena is being heated with cold district heating. Already the project presents a benefit for the city. "The city of Aurich has succeeded in bringing the needs of industry in line with the quality of life of citizens," said Markus Czeromin. When the entire project is complete, carbon emissions will be reduced by 42% and annual energy costs will be reduced by 43%.

Rücker’s Dairy is a 120-year-old family business that has been producing cheese for four generations. Annually, the dairy processes 850 million kilograms of milk making it one of the largest private dairies in Germany. Around 400 employees process the milk to milk powders, butter and cheese in the East Friesian town of Aurich and in the hanseatic city of Wismar. Singled out by the prestigious food magazine "Der Feinschmecker ", Rücker is one of the best cheese dairies in Germany.

Out of 2,600 entries submitted, the "Aurich Cold District Heating" system won over the independent panel and as a viable idea for the future and represents Germany as the "Land of Ideas". "To be a winner in the ‘365 Landmarks in the Land of Ideas’ competition is a mark of quality in all sectors. With great commitment and passion, the ‘selected landmarks’ make innovation visible and give an important impetus for our future," explained Gerd Pallasch of Deutsche Bank.