Room: Poster Area
Date: Tuesday, 19 May 2026
Time: 17:30 - 18:30 CEST
Session code 3AV.6
Biomass integration
Efficient Utilisation of Biomass Resources in Smart District Heating Networks Via Sector Coupling
Short Introductive summary
The transformation of energy systems toward 100 % renewable sources is a major challenge, especially in inner-alpine regions with complex infrastructure and seasonal variability. In these regions, biomass-based district heating (DH) systems are well established and ensure a stable, reliable, and sustainable heat supply from local resources. One such region is Murau (Austria), which has pursued a forward-looking energy vision and now generates multiple times its electricity demand from renewables such as hydropower, biomass, wind, and solar. However, these surplus faces grid capacity limits, leading to curtailments and constraining further expansion of renewables. The Biomass Flexibility Hub of the #Systemkraftwerk Murau project addresses this challenge through sector coupling and innovative integration of electricity and heat systems, demonstrating how biomass can remain the backbone of a flexible, renewable regional energy system.
Presenter
Joachim KELZ
AEE - Institute for Sustainable Technologies, Cities and Networks Dpt., AUSTRIA
Presenter's biography
Joachim Kelz is Senior Researcher at AEE INTEC and is currently working on projects related to climate-neutral heating and cooling networks in the district heating sector and future energy systems.
Biographies and Short introductive summaries are supplied directly by presenters and are published here unedited
Co-authors:
J. Kelz, AEE - Institute for Sustainable Technologies, Gleisdorf, AUSTRIA
X. Zhupani, AEE - Institute for Sustainable Technologies, Gleisdorf, AUSTRIA
J. Vopava-Wrienz, Montanuniversität Leoben, Leoben, AUSTRIA
F. Samm, Montanuniversität Leoben, Leoben, AUSTRIA
Session reference: 3AV.6.9