DI DI Hermine Mitter:
“Supply of Biomass District Heat as a Planning Content of the Local Development Concept Using St. Georgen am Walde, Upper Austria as an Example”
This thesis examines the interrelationship between energy policy and spatial planning and, using the example of the Upper Austrian municipality of St. Georgen am Walde, examines municipal energy supply with biomass district heat as a planning content of the Local Development Concept.
The Local Development Concept can create conditions for promoting the use of regionally available renewable energy sources, particularly in the areas of "housing" and "technical infrastructure," for example, by designating priority areas for infrastructure, by making location decisions for supply infrastructure, or by considering energy-related aspects when designating building land and determining construction methods.
Based on a heat demand survey, this relationship is graphically represented using a geoinformation system. The goal is to identify those areas where heat supply is feasible with a community wood chip heating system eligible for funding. These areas can then be designated as "priority areas for infrastructure district heating supply" in the local development concept. After weighing economic, ecological, and social aspects, the site alternatives most suitable for the long-term operation of a community wood chip heating system will then be identified.
The results can and should serve as a feasibility study for implementation-oriented development processes in the energy sector. Furthermore, the developed method can also serve as a basis for decision-making in the surrounding communities for spatial planning measures for the supply of biomass district heating at the local level.
