Klimaschutz durch den Einsatz von Wärmepumpen auf Alpenvereinshütten

Project background

The Alps are one of the regions most affected by climate change worldwide. Over the past 100 years, the temperature there has risen around twice as much as the global average. This development entails considerable ecological risks - but at the same time opens up new technical possibilities for a sustainable energy supply in the Alps.

The rising temperatures are making it increasingly possible to use modern heat pump systems in high-altitude regions. For the first time, this is creating a realistic alternative to the heating systems commonly used in mountain huts to date, which are mainly based on burning wood or fossil fuels such as diesel. These systems not only cause high CO₂ emissions, but also considerable logistical and financial burdens, as fuels have to be transported to remote altitudes at great expense.

The Alpine associations in Germany and Austria jointly operate more than 550 huts with over one million overnight stays per year. Converting this infrastructure to a climate-friendly heat supply therefore offers enormous potential for reducing emissions and operating costs.

The "Heat4Alps" project addresses precisely this issue. The aim is to develop, test and evaluate innovative heat pump solutions that are adapted to Alpine conditions. The project is thus making an important contribution to climate adaptation and the sustainable transformation of alpine hut infrastructure.

Project objective

The aim of the Heat4Alps project is to systematically evaluate the successful use of heat pumps in Alpine pilot plants and to transfer this to other Alpine association huts and comparable buildings in Alpine regions. The focus is on establishing a sound basis for decision-making and planning for a climate-friendly heat supply at high altitudes.

This knowledge transfer takes place via two central instruments:

firstly, through the development of an evaluation tool for analyzing the overall energy status of huts and their suitability for the use of heat pumps, and secondly, through a practice-oriented guideline that describes the planning, implementation and operation of such systems under alpine conditions in a structured manner.

The data and findings obtained are based on two best-practice pilot systems and supplementary energy simulations. On this basis, decision-makers as well as planners and technical experts should be able to make well-founded investment and implementation decisions for the conversion of existing heating systems.

The long-term goal is to establish a decentralized, economically viable and CO₂-neutral energy supply for alpine huts and comparable buildings in the alpine region in combination with photovoltaic systems.

Project procedure

In the first stage of the project, the current energy status of the Alpine Club huts in Bavaria and Austria will be systematically recorded and analyzed. Existing heat supply systems, energy consumption and site-specific framework conditions are evaluated.

Building on this, simulations are used to develop various heating concepts based on heat pump technologies and compare them in terms of technical feasibility, energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Parallel to this, the planning and implementation of two pilot systems will begin, which will serve as examples of best practice:

one at the Traunsteiner Hütte of the German Alpine Association (DAV) and one at the Carl-von-Stahl-Haus of the Austrian Alpine Association (ÖAV). Innovative heat pump systems are installed and operated at these two locations under real alpine conditions.

After commissioning, the two systems are continuously monitored over a period of two years and then evaluated in detail. Operating data, energy yields, reliability and savings potential will be analyzed.

A practice-oriented guideline and an evaluation tool will be developed based on the results from the pilot systems and the simulation-based investigations. These instruments should enable the transferability of the knowledge gained to other huts and buildings in the Alpine region.

Accompanying public relations work ensures that the project results are communicated to decision-makers, planners and technical specialists in a targeted manner, thus supporting the implementation of sustainable heat pump solutions in the Alpine region.

Innovation

Alpine buildings such as mountain huts, shelters and alpine clubhouses or chalets have highly individual energy supply systems that have evolved over decades. These have been adapted to local conditions, increasing comfort demands and safety-related requirements. It is precisely this heterogeneity that poses the greatest hurdle today for a rapid and economical conversion to a climate-neutral energy supply.

The central innovation of Heat4Alps lies in the development of a systematic, transferable and scalable approach to decarbonizing these diverse building types. Instead of developing individual solutions for individual huts, the project is creating a modular solution kit in combination with a practical guideline that proposes a technically and economically optimized heat pump-based supply concept for each hut based on its specific boundary conditions. e.g. PV or electricity price-led)