The Güssing biomass power plant went into operation in 2001. The demonstration and research plant produces electricity and heat from the product gas. The output is 4.5 MW thermal and 2 MW electrical power. The method used is a double fluidised bed steam process. For the evaporation, wood chips are used. Other possibilities for product gas utilisation include the production of methane and fuel. Set up next to the power plants are two containers, in which the associated scientific research takes place. The biomass power plant was established via the company Biomasskraftwerk Güssing Ges.m.b.H. & Co. KG, and is operated by the district heating company Güssinger Fernwärme Ges.m.b.H. Scientific support is provided by RENET Austria, which is a joint operation between Vienna University of Technology, the firms, and the operators of the plant. »

The biomass district heating works was opened in 1996, as part of the Güssing municipal climate alliance. Through the controlled combustion of biomass with waste gas purification, the district heating plant produces only a fraction of the emissions produced by a large number of existing individual heating plants, and so helps to reduce CO2 emissions. Individual homes, businesses and public buildings are supplied with heat. The advantages for the customer are accurate billing, cost savings through optimum efficiency, and comfort »

The construction of the demonstration plant on the site of the Güssing technology centre now enables visitors to the EEE to see close at hand how electricity is produced from the sun. Start-up operation was in 2004. The plant was set up in co- operation with BORG Güssing. The aim is to examine the economic efficiency of such a plant in our region, based on climate conditions. A monitoring system provides support for the investigation. The amount of energy produced by the plant is 26,000 kWh/a. The electricity that is produced flows into the public electricity grid. Via the eco electricity tariff, the operation receives a guaranteed price of 60 cents/kWh. »

The biogas plant, with an output of 500 kW of electricity, was taken into operation in February 2005 in Strem. The research plant is designed to be fully automatic. The process that is used is dry fermentation. The gas is converted into electrical and thermal energy in the CHP unit. The special feature of the plant is that it is operated without the addition of liquid manure. The plant is operated as a research and demonstration facility. S »

The heating plant II was set up in 2002, within the framework of the district heating company, Güssinger Fernwärme GmbH, in Güssing. On account of the rising demand for heat and new fuels (parquet industry), a second heating plant was needed in Güssing. In order to avoid energy losses, the first plant (Güssing district heating plant) was not extended, but the second plant was located where the heat requirement is greatest (parquet works). The aim was to utilise fuels that are difficult to manipulate, such as sawdust and sanding dust (loading on trucks, transport). A closed system (production to combustion) is important, and the fuel (sawdust and sanding dust) is blown into the boiler via a high-pressure conduit. For this special type of fuel, a special type of boiler is installe »