Vienna to invest 100 million euros in district cooling expansion

Wien Energie, the city-owned energy provider in Vienna, plans to invest 100 million euros by 2030 to expand the city's district cooling network. This expansion aims to increase capacity from the current 250 megawatts to 370 megawatts.

The initiative responds to rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves in the Austrian capital. During the record summer of 2024, Vienna experienced over 50 tropical nights, and temperatures have recently reached 40 degrees Celsius. Demand for cooling can increase by up to 60 percent when temperatures hit 35 degrees Celsius compared to days at 25 degrees Celsius.

The existing 33-kilometer network currently serves approximately 300 buildings, including the Vienna City Hall, AKH General Hospital, the University of Vienna, the Natural History Museum, Hotel Sacher, and Café Central. The system operates by circulating cold water through underground pipes to absorb excess heat from buildings, which is then returned to central plants to be cooled again. Wien Energie utilizes renewable electricity, waste heat, and, where possible, the natural cooling power of the Danube Canal to power the system.