In the heart of Vienna, nestled amongst the urban landscape, stands the Fernheizwerk Leopoldau. This towering structure, with its imposing chimneys reaching for the sky, has played a vital role in keeping Viennese homes warm for decades. You’re probably wondering, what is it? Well, let’s step back in time. In 1973, construction began on this Fernheizwerk, officially known as the “Gas- und Dampfkraftwerk Leopoldau”. The goal was to create a rapid-deployment gas turbine power plant to handle peak energy demands. The Fernheizwerk Leopoldau was built on the site of a defunct gas plant. This location was chosen for its existing natural gas pipelines. It was originally intended to be built in Kagran. However, Leopoldau won out.
The Fernheizwerk Leopoldau wasn’t just about electricity generation. This forward-thinking project aimed to efficiently combine heat and power to optimize energy use – a concept known as cogeneration. In the late 1980s, further upgrades transformed the Fernheizwerk into a fully-fledged gas and steam power plant. This transformation introduced environmental protection features like denitrification plants. In the present day, the Fernheizwerk Leopoldau boasts a power output of 60 megawatts for district heating.
The Fernheizwerk Leopoldau is a testament to Vienna’s commitment to innovating in energy production. With its history of technological advancements, the Fernheizwerk continues to supply warmth to the city, ensuring a cozy and comfortable life for its residents. It’s a story of change, of adapting to the needs of the times, and ultimately, of serving the community.