Germany – Architectural and related services – Stadtwerke Essen AG: EU-weites Vergabeverfahren "Planung des Wärmenetzes" (Los 4)

The City of Essen aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2045 at the latest. A central pillar of this transformation process is the decarbonisation of heat supply. In the Essen-Überruhr/Burgaltendorf area, there are currently untapped potentials for the use of renewable energy sources. The current heat demand of approximately 98.6 GWh/a is distributed across around 13,110 residential units, with natural gas, with a share of about 58%, currently being the dominant supply type. A further 26% of the demand is currently not clearly allocated and falls to non-piped energy carriers. To achieve the climate goals and ensure a sustainable heat supply, Stadtwerke Essen has conducted feasibility studies. These show that the supply of base and medium load can be fundamentally ensured in the future through the use of mine water, river water, and treated water. As part of the feasibility study, river water and treated water were also examined as potential heat sources; however, these will not be pursued further in the course of the project. The only remaining natural heat source is the mine water of the Zeche Heinrich. The generated heat quantity is to be distributed via a new heat network to be established, which in the final expansion will supply around 4,137 buildings. The planning and construction of the new low-temperature heat network will be carried out within the framework of the funding programme of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action "Federal Funding for Efficient Heat Networks (BEW-Module 1, Performance Phases 2-4)". The aim is the subsequent implementation of the project in BEW-Module 2 (Construction). The effectiveness of this contract is subject to the suspensive condition that a grant notification has been issued for the approval of the applied-for grants for the BEW1-Module in an amount that, according to the binding grant conditions, secures the financing of the project for the BEW1-Module. It is pointed out that the tendering procedure may be cancelled if the contracting authority does not receive the grants for the implementation of the overall project. According to the standard process of the contracting authority, the budget release for the 2027 budget will take place in the last quarter of 2026. The budget release is a prerequisite for the implementation of the tendering procedure beyond the competition for participation. In the event that the budget release does not take place, the contracting authority reserves the right to cancel the tendering procedure. Currently, there is no permit for the construction of the low-temperature heat network. The permit application has been submitted.