Can the school premises, the local authority offices and private properties be heated with timber from surrounding forests instead of oil? EBP has carried out a feasibility study to find out.

EBP investigated the possibility of establishing a woodchip-fired district heating system in Riggisberg. Specifically: whether there is sufficient timber available in the surrounding forests and, in a selected zone with sufficient energy consumption density, there are enough potential heat users.

Working together closely with the local authority, EBP clarified the potentially-available timber in the forests of the Gantrisch district and determined possible heating district zones in the local authority area. A survey was used to identify potential heat users. The study resulted not only in a project concept with a plan of the district heating network, but also evidence that a district heating system with central woodchip-fired furnace is economically and technically feasible in Riggisberg.