Once pioneering work, now part of everyday life in Bosbüll: the municipality in North Friesland has been supplying its residents since 2020 via a district heating network that exclusively supplies heat from regional, renewable electricity. At the end of August, shareholders and project participants celebrated the ground-breaking ceremony for the expansion of the heating network. Minister President Daniel Günther also took part in the celebrations as part of his summer trip and praised the municipality's efforts for a sustainable energy supply.

A good example of intelligent, regional energy supply

"Bosbüll shows how the energy transition can work decentrally and efficiently. Hydrogen production is a good example of intelligent, regional energy supply. Renewable energies are not only fed into the grid, but are used directly on site, stored, converted into hydrogen or utilized in a local heating network. This sustainable energy supply is an important building block for a climate-neutral Schleswig-Holstein by 2040," said the Minister President. And Ingo Böhm, Mayor of Bosbüll and Managing Director of Bosbüll Energie GmbH, added: "Our municipal heating network shows how sustainable and economical our own heat supply can be. The demand from our citizens is high, which is why I am delighted that half the village can now be connected thanks to the densification."

Sustainable heat from the region, for the region

The Bosbüll heating network is based on renewable energies and uses power-to-heat technology: electricity from the local wind and solar plants flows into a 240-kilowatt heat pump. In addition, at times when there is an oversupply of electricity in the public grid, a heating element converts the otherwise curtailed wind and solar power into heat, which is stored in a generously dimensioned buffer tank. The resulting decoupling of heat generation and use ensures efficient operation. A peak load boiler serves as redundancy, for example to ensure the supply of heat even during heat pump maintenance.

Start of construction planned for the fall

The heating network is a service offered by Bosbüll Energie GmbH, which was founded by Bürgerwindpark Bosbüll together with GP JOULE, the specialist for renewable energy solutions. The municipality of Bosbüll is supporting the expansion of the local heating network and is thus taking the heat supply for its citizens into its own hands. The start of construction for the expansion of the heating network is planned for the fall. The first heat deliveries should already be possible during the coming 2025/26 heating period.

Heat also with electrolysis

In addition to the power-to-heat process, heat from the eFarm project can also flow into the local heating network: There are two electrolysers next to the heating center, which also produce green hydrogen from Bosbüll wind and solar power. The process heat generated is not lost, but can be fed into the heating network. Thanks to eFarm, the fuel cell buses used for public transport in North Friesland and all other vehicles that refuel at the eFarm filling stations in Niebüll and Husum run on green hydrogen with zero emissions. The hydrogen mobility project was initiated by GP JOULE. More than 3,500 people are involved in eFarm through the 20 shareholders, including community wind farms and community solar parks.

Added value benefits the general public

In many respects, the municipality of Bosbüll is regarded as a pioneer in utilizing the added value from renewable energies in its municipal area. Bosbüll has two community solar parks, two community wind farms, a hydrogen production facility and a renewable local heating network. A third solar park is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by GP JOULE at the end of the year. Bosbüll was able to build the community center and a playground as well as renovate roads and paths with the municipal income from these plants. Kindergarten and crèche places are subsidized by the municipality and every family with young children receives a so-called Christmas child benefit. In 2023, Bosbüll was able to reduce the property tax rate from 340 to 100 percentage points.

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