Waldkraiburg, Germany to expand geothermal heating with second heating plant
Groundbreaking of Heating Plant II at Waldkraiburg, Germany (source: Stadtwerke Waldkraiburg)
Carlo Cariaga
3 Oct 2025
The municipality of Waldkraiburg in Germany aims to expand the scope of geothermal heating with the construction of a second heating plant.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held to launch construction work at the new heating plant in the municipality of Waldkraiburg in the Mühldorf district in Bavaria, Germany. This provides the basis for further expansion of geothermal heating in the municipality. Waldkraiburg holds the distinction of being the first municipality in district to use geothermal energy for district heating after commissioning of the first heating plant back in 2012.
The facility, to be built and operated by local municipal utility Stadtwerke Waldkraiburg, will be built on the site of the company’s depot on Geretsrieder Straße by 2027. Around EUR 20 million is being invested for the project. Mayor Robert Pötzsch stated that over EUR 150 million will be invested over the coming years for the heating plant, a second geothermal borehole, and the expansion of the district heating network.
“With today’s groundbreaking ceremony, we are sending a clear message – for our industry, for our citizens, and for the future of our city. Heat for Waldkraiburg from Waldkraiburg.” the Mayor stated during the groundbreaking ceremony.
Kathrin Maiwald of the Trathnigg Planning Group provided some technical details about the project. The new heating plant comprises a 1,000 square meter boiler room with state-of-the-art systems technology, as well as a two-story annex building with a control room, transformer stations, offices, and common areas. A green roof and a sustainable rainwater management concept underscore the ecological responsibility. Commissioning of the boiler is planned for the end of 2026, with overall completion by 2027.
District Administrator Max Heimerl praised the municipal utility for pioneering geothermal heating in the district, stating that not everyone was enthusiastic about the idea 20 years ago. However, using geothermal energy means that the municipality is making a contribution to the future generations, both ecologically and economically.
In 2024, the geothermal heating plant of Stadtwerke Waldkraiburg was heralded as the “Efficiency Master” during the Praxisforum Geothermie.Bayern event. “The Waldkraiburg geothermal energy plant produced a sensational 36 MWh of heat per MWh of electricity used,” remarked Wolfgang Geisinger from Geothermie Unterhaching when presenting the award. The municipal utility already reliably supplies more than 4,200 households, public institutions, and businesses with heat. In the future, the heating network is planned to expand to reach 110 kilometers.
Source: Stadtwerke Waldkraiburg
