When electricity is generated, the energy inherent in the fuel cannot be completely converted into power. One way of making better use of the fuel is to generate electricity and heat simultaneously: the so-called combined heat and power (CHP).

District heating has been produced for Grosskrotzenburg and Hanau at the Staudinger power plant for many years now. The annual heating output is sufficient to supply 18,000 households.

Hot water that circulates

The means of transporting heat is hot water. It is pumped to consumers through heat insulated supply and return lines, transfers the heat via heat exchangers to the heating water or tap water and then returns to the power plant. The total pipe length is 81 kilometers. Depending on how cold it is outside, the water leaves the power plant at a temperature between 95 and 130 degrees. When it returns it is still about 70 degrees. The district heating is, for the most part, decoupled in block 5. If this block is not available, block 1 can be used instead.

Warmly recommended for the environment

Because the production of district heating generates electricity and heat at the same time, the fuel can be said to be used twice. This is more efficient and easier on the environment than a large number of small heating systems. In particular it serves to reduce CO₂ emissions. It is therefore the aim of E.ON Kraftwerke to decouple even more district heating from the Staudinger power plant than previously.