VERBUND and Lenzing advance industrial decarbonisation

14 MW power-to-heat facility boosts flexibility in the energy system

VERBUND and the Lenzing Group are taking another major step towards climate-friendly industry. A power-to-heat (P2H) facility with an electrical output of 14 megawatts has now been successfully put into initial operation at the Lenzing site. VERBUND is responsible for marketing control power and actively integrating the facility into the energy system. This makes it possible to respond flexibly to short-term fluctuations in the power grid while supporting the stability of the Austrian power system.

• VERBUND launches control power marketing for the Lenzing Group’s new 14 MW power-to-heat facility
• Industrial processes become part of a flexible energy system and support the integration of renewable energy
• Long-standing partnership with Lenzing also includes photovoltaics and e-charging infrastructure as a contribution to decarbonisation

The facility is one of the most powerful of its kind in the Austrian industrial sector and is a key component of state-of-the-art heat management at the Lenzing site. It efficiently converts renewable electricity into process heat and will be fully integrated into the existing heat network. In doing so, it makes a material contribution to the decarbonisation of energy-intensive production processes.

“The partnership with Lenzing demonstrates the potential of close collaboration between industry and the energy market. By integrating the P2H facility into the control power market, industrial processes become an active part of a flexible energy system. Solutions like this are key to making the best possible use of renewable energy while strengthening security of supply in a sustainable way,” emphasises Michael Strugl, CEO of VERBUND AG.

The new facility also marks an important milestone for Lenzing. “The new power-to-heat facility shows how industrial decarbonisation can be implemented in practice – with sophisticated technology, sound economics and a clear positive impact on the site,” says Georg Kasperkovitz, Member of the Lenzing Group Executive Board.

In addition to supplying heat, the P2H facility also performs an important function in the energy system. Surplus renewable energy can be put to targeted use, while simultaneously increasing flexibility in the power system. This helps to better integrate renewable energy generation and make industrial sites more resilient and fit for the future.

The successful delivery of the project builds on a long-standing partnership between VERBUND and Lenzing. VERBUND has been delivering renewable energy solutions at the Lenzing site for several years, including photovoltaic systems and e-charging infrastructure. These projects form part of VERBUND’s holistic approach to industrial decarbonisation and demonstrate how integrated energy solutions can support the transformation of production sites.

With this new joint P2H project, VERBUND and Lenzing are setting a technological benchmark for the industrial heat transition and underscoring the central role of collaborations between energy suppliers and industrial companies on the path to a sustainable energy system.