Environmental technology specialist Rabmer relies on wastewater energy to heat and cool buildings.
Washing hands, showers, kitchen water, laundry and much more. - Enormous quantities of warm wastewater are produced everywhere throughout the day, which flows unused into the sewage system. But this "dirty" wastewater can easily and efficiently be turned into "clean" energy. The environmental technology specialist Rabmer has been working on this topic for many years and offers its customers innovative solutions based on state-of-the-art heat exchanger and heat pump systems.
(Altenberg, 30.10.2020.) When the keyword renewable energies is mentioned, people immediately think of photovoltaics and wind energy. This is hardly surprising, as solar and wind are also omnipresent as sustainable energy sources. However, these are primarily used to generate electricity, whileCO2-critical energy sources such as oil and gas are still mainly used to generate heat. There is now an innovative and climate-friendly alternative. The renewable energy source wastewater is available all year round at an almost constant temperature and can therefore be used to heat and cool buildings using state-of-the-art technologies. "This environmentally friendly method of energy generation is becoming increasingly important - finally also in our home market of Austria. Energy from wastewater has enormous potential and, above all, can make a significant contribution to climate protection. After all, up to 12 percent of buildings in Austria could be heated and cooled in an environmentally friendly way using this technology," says Ulrike Rabmer-Koller. The managing partner of the Upper Austrian environmental technology pioneer speaks from experience, as the Rabmer Group and its technology partners have already supported many wastewater energy projects from planning to implementation.
One energy source, different technologies and areas of application
For the layman, the most unusual and at the same time most spectacular use of wastewater energy is that which starts directly in the municipal sewer network. This requires a sewer up to a maximum of 300 meters away with a wastewater volume of at least 10 liters per second. With the help of innovative heat exchanger systems installed directly in the existing sewer and efficient heat pumps, nearby office and residential buildings as well as shopping centers, hospitals and other public facilities can be heated and cooled in a particularly economical and environmentally friendly way. External solutions are also used for large properties with an output of over 1 MW. Here, the waste water is extracted via a shaft and fed through specially developed heat exchangers located in a plant room. The energy obtained in this way is then either used for heating on site or can also be fed into the district heating system. For cooling, heat is extracted from the building and released into the sewer.
However, it is not just heating and cooling that is an issue here; energy recovery from wastewater can also be used to preheat fresh water. As part of in-house projects, the Rabmer Group relies on innovative heat exchanger systems that use wastewater heat for the energy-intensive preheating of fresh water. "With these individually tailored solutions, we support companies from the beverage industry, commercial kitchens, laundries, wellness and bathing establishments, for example, in saving energy and thus reducing theirCO2 emissions," reports Rabmer-Koller and adds with regard to investment costs: "Our solutions, whether for in-house or sewer solutions, usually pay for themselves after just a few years and thus have a clear advantage over conventional solutions in many cases. The use of energy from wastewater means a win-win situation for our customers and the environment!"
About the Rabmer Group
The Rabmer Group is an Upper Austrian family business based in Altenberg near Linz. The company is managed by Ulrike Rabmer-Koller in the 2nd generation and combines tradition with innovation as well as regional roots with international activities. The focus is on construction & real estate as well as environmental technology with a focus on water & wastewater technology and renewable energy. The Rabmer Group has been providing solutions for climate protection for more than 30 years with a wide range of innovative environmental technologies and is considered a European pioneer in the field of "excavation-free pipe rehabilitation". As a Climate Alliance company and holder of the Austrian Federal Ecolabel, great importance is also attached to sustainability and environmental protection within the company itself. Innovative technologies and well-trained specialists form the basis for the company's success, which is why the company also places great emphasis on in-house apprentice training. The Rabmer Group currently employs 110 people and generated a turnover of EUR 17.9 million in 2019.
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