Best practice site visit - Energiezukunft Fuchstal, in Fuchstal (GE)

During the visit to Energiezukunft Fuchstal , Mr. Erwin Karg, the Mayor of Fuchstal and Thomas Reukauf the project manager  presented the operation of Energiezukunft Fuchstal at the Visitor Center. Energiezukunft Fuchstal is one of the biggest power to heat system operated  by a local community in Bavaria.The virtual power plant managing the access the renawable energy system to the wholesale energy market for a local community  is one of the first of its kind in Germany.

Energiezukunft Fuchstal, Fuchstal (GE): This event, hosted by the municipality of Fuchstal. (established from 2017 and directly owned by the local government of Fuchstal and the citizens), aims to point out the realization of the local energy transition and the partzipationn of citizens. The focus includes building and operating energy and smart infrastructures in Fuchstal supported by local service providors, as well as promoting, developing, and managing innovative projects such as data driven energy management/energy storage/heat supply.

Wind turbines, bird monitoring:
We visited 2 windparks with an installed capacity of 29 MWp, supported by 7 wind turbines (4 in 2016, hub height 149 m, and 3 more in 2024 hub height 166 m)). The  total energy generation (4 wind turbines) in 2023 was 24 Mio. kWh , from 31.12.2024  (3 more wind turbines connected to the grid) the generation will increase to 54 Mio. kWh due to the installation of three more wind turbines with a capacity of6  The actual electrical energy demand of Fuchstal is 24 Mio kWh, meaning that the wind turbines generate 2 times the consumption of Fuchstal ( 4500 inhabitants). We also visited the first Bavarian camera-based detection system that slows down the wind turbines when birds approach, which is installed near the three new wind turbines in the Fuchstal community forest. These two observation towers with a technology platform, each 42 meters high, is equipped with several cameras and uses the latest technology from radar and video systems. The project has been supported by the Bavarian State Office for the Environment and the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences.

Solar power plant:

We visited one solar park of Fuchstal with a total output of 750 kWp and an anual generation of 1,3 Mio. kWh.

This photovoltaic project is one of three photovoltaic projects in Fuchstal  with a total installed capacity of 3 MWp. It  has been  initiated and implemented by the municipality. The municipal photovoltaic system is owned by the municipality of Fuchstal. This means that all income benefits the community of Fuchstal and all its citizens.The system is  ecologically improving an area that was used intensively for agriculture before.

Energy Storage Unit:

The energy storage unit has a total output of  5,8 MW  and a capacity of 3200 kWh, utilizing Samsung P3 78 Ah lithium-ion batteries with over 11.000 cells. ( 6,35 kWh/22 Cells). State of Charge (SoC) between 25% and 80% can be realized, it consists of 1 battery container with 45 ft and 2 inverters of 40 ft.

Power to heat supply:

The main component of the power to heat supply is a heat storage with a volume of 5000 m ³and a pendulum storage of 200 m³. The diameter of the heat storage is 21 m and it height is 16 m ,  fitting the capacity of 25.000 bathtubs. The heat storage has been built in order to avoid the cuirtailment of electricity generation from the wind and the solar park by generating heat for the local heat supply with its 210 connection points , 13 km of length and 6000 MWh consumption. Heat supply is supported by a  800 kW bioggas plant and a 1000 kW wood chips plant. There are now also 2 gymnasiums, a 7-group daycare center, the Raiffeisenbank, the sports center and 200 properties in Asch and Leeder. The heating network is built and operated by the municipality of Fuchstal.  Fuchstal community buildings receive the heat from the biogas plant  through a heat supply contract. The biogas/mass power plants contribution to Fuchstal renewable generation portfolio is 8 Mio. kWh/a.