HoSt Bioenergy Systems, a company of the HoSt Group, has started construction of a 25 MW biomass cogeneration plant for Chemnitz. After the financing agreement with Eins Energie, the work on site has begun. As part of a 20-year "Heat-as-a-Service" partnership, HoSt will build and operate the power plant as the owner and feed renewable heat into the city's district heating network. The electricity generated will flow into the public grid. The power plant is scheduled to be commissioned in the fourth quarter of 2027.
A single partner for the entire term
The plant will add renewable heat capacity to Chemnitz's district heating network. The scope of supply includes the biomass boiler, the steam turbine, the exhaust gas purification system and the connection to the district heating network. The contract with a term of 20 years was signed at the beginning of 2025; in the meantime, all financial and contractual requirements have been met. As an investor and operator, HoSt is responsible for the project from the construction phase to commissioning and long-term operation. This means that a single partner is responsible for heat supply, plant performance and heat price over the entire term.
Once commissioned, the plant will cover around 10% of Chemnitz's district heating needs from regional, renewable resources. It will be powered by natural wood biomass, which is considered renewable under German law. Around 90% of the fuel comes from a radius of 250 kilometres around the site. These are forest residues, landscape maintenance material and clippings from street trees.
Emissions well below the limit value
The emission values were a decisive factor in the tender for the award of the contract to HoSt. The plant has comprehensive exhaust gas purification; the contractually agreed emission values are well below the legal limits. As a result, NOx emissions remain below 60 mg/Nm³ and thus at less than a third of the legal limit of 200 mg/Nm³. Emissions are continuously monitored in accordance with the 44th BImSchV (Ordinance on Medium-Sized Combustion Plants, Gas Turbines and Combustion Engine Installations).
