Our plants are made up of 2-10 gas-powered CHP modules at 10 MW_el each, with heat storage facilities and electric and gas boilers. The CHP modules can be started up and taken down from the grid within 2 minutes – an important prerequisite for participating in the electrical balancing market.

Our plant configuration allows heat and power production to be decoupled: Heat is delivered when it is needed to the heating grid – either from the CHP modules, the heat storage facilities or the boilers. Power is produced when the grid needs positive control energy (upload power) and when the power price is sufficiently high, thus boosting power revenues. On the other hand, the CHP modules are switched off whenever there is over-capacity on the grid and downloading is required. Depending on the current power price, the electric boiler may now be used to warm the heat storage tank. The gas boiler is started during periods when the CHP modules and the heat storage do not have the required heating capacity on their own.

SWG markets its electric power – preferably on the secondary balance market – in cooperation with a trading partner. It offers both positive (uploading) and negative (downloading) control energy. A specialized mathematical model adapted from the finance industry provides the basis for its optimized bidding strategy. SWG can thus generate substantial return on the power side, which ultimately helps it to offer the heat it produces at a very attractive price.