Combined energy generation: electricity and heat
Our state-of-the-art combined heat and power plants make use of the heat produced during electricity generation, which is then fed into the district heating network. The plants achieve a total level of efficiency of up to 90%. This means the fuel consumed is used twice as effectively as in conventional plants.
Significant CO2 reductions
The use of waste heat from electricity generation provides the Munich heating market with some four billion additional kWh in eco-friendly heating energy. Around 450 million litres of heating oil would be required to produce the same amount of heat energy with oil-powered household heating systems. The burning of this amount of fuel would release 1.1 million tons of CO2 into Munich’s air. We prevent this vast amount of pollution, which exceeds the total amount of CO2 produced by all car traffic in Munich per year, from entering Munich’s air through the use of district heating.
European leader in combined heat and power generation
SWM produces around 70% of Munich’s electricity in energy-efficient and environmentally friendly combined heat and power plants. This makes us the European leader in eco-friendly combined heat and power generation. At around 700 kilometres in length, the district heating network is also one of the biggest in Europe. The average share of electricity produced through combined heat and power only stands at 12% in Germany and the EU.
