Construction Begins on New Heat Storage Facility in Hamburg-Billbrook
Hamburg, March 5, 2026 – Hamburg Energiewerke officially began construction of a new heat storage facility on Wednesday at the Tiefstack coal-fired power plant site in Hamburg-Billbrook. This facility is designed to feed hot water, primarily from industrial waste heat, into the district heating network as needed.
A Gigantic Thermos for Hamburg
Environment Senator Katharina Fegebank (Greens) aptly described the new heat storage facility as a “gigantic thermos.” She, along with Energiewerke CEO Michael Prinz, symbolically laid the foundation for the planned energy park on Wednesday.
Massive Capacity for Sustainable Heating
The heat storage facility is set to become the centerpiece of the new Tiefstack energy park. It will stand 51 meters tall, with an outer diameter of 35 meters, and boast a colossal capacity of 43 million liters of water. This volume is equivalent to seven times the water contained in all the pools of the Alster swimming hall. The facility will store water heated to 98 degrees Celsius, primarily utilizing waste heat from industrial processes and waste incineration.
Heating 27,000 Homes Daily
“On a cold winter day, this storage facility could provide heat for over 27,000 residential units for an entire day,” stated Michael Prinz, CEO of Hamburg Energiewerke. Given the substantial weight of 43 million liters of water, 60 new foundations must be drilled 22 meters deep into the ground before the base plate for the heat storage facility can be constructed.
Operational by 2029 as Part of a Larger Energy Park
The new heat storage facility is scheduled for completion by the end of 2027 and is expected to become operational two years later, in 2029. It forms a crucial component of the new Tiefstack energy park. Other projects within this park include a river water heat pump in the Billwerder Bucht and the conversion of the heating power plant from hard coal to gas. Both these projects are currently in the planning phase.
Hamburg’s Coal Exit by 2030
This ambitious timeline was approved by the Senate on Tuesday, aligning with Hamburg’s commitment to transition away from coal energy by 2030. The city plans to rely on a diverse energy mix in the future to achieve its climate goals.
Climate-Neutral Heating: A City-Wide Effort
The question of how Hamburg heats its homes and how climate-friendly these methods are has gained significant prominence following the public referendum on climate targets. The new heat storage facility is a key step towards achieving more sustainable heating solutions across the city.
Further News from Hamburg
In other local news, a trial against young neo-Nazis accused of forming a right-wing terrorist organization with origins in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has begun in Hamburg. Meanwhile, the HSV football team suffered another home defeat, losing to Bayer Leverkusen, which has shifted their focus downwards in the Bundesliga standings. Additionally, there will be no public viewing fan zone on Heiligengeistfeld in Hamburg for the 2026 World Cup, as announced by organizer Uwe Bergmann. The Minister-Presidents’ Conference is also addressing various topics, including social media, antisemitism, and wind energy, which are significant issues in northern Germany.
Source: NDR.de
