Germany reduces its dependence on Russian gas.



A huge steel tower in Berlin, Germany, will serve a similar purpose to the coffee thermos next winter.The tower, located on an industrial site near the banks of berlin's Spree River, will provide heat for homes using a similar method to thermos bottles. It is about 150 feet (45 meters) high and contains 14.8 million gallons (56 million liters) of hot water.

The new facility was unveiled this week, Thursday, June 30, at The Vattenval Reuters Power Station. It should be noted that a larger version has already been planned for the Netherlands.

Berlin's new Thermos Tower will isolate water for up to 13 hours

According to the tower's developer, utility company Vattenfall, it will heat Berlin homes this winter even if Russia cut off gas supplies due to Western sanctions after its invasion of Ukraine.

"It's a huge thermos that helps us store heat when we don't need it," said Tanya Wilgos, who heads germany's heating unit based in Sweden. 

The facility cost taxpayers 50 million euros ($52 million) and will have a thermal capacity of 200 megawatts. The reservoir can keep water isolated for up to 13 hours and can meet most of Berlin's hot water needs during the summer. During winter, though, it will meet nearly 10 percent of Berlin's hot water requirements.


New Berlin Tower reduces Germany's dependence on imports and fossil fuels

The Berlin Tower will have the dual benefit of reducing reliance on Russian gas supplies as well as reducing emissions used to heat water when needed. The facility retains water that reaches a temperature close to boiling by electricity from German solar and wind power plants. When renewable energy exceeds demand, it can move towards heating the tower.

"Due to its geographical location, the Berlin region is more dependent on Russian fossil fuels than other parts of Germany," said Bettina Jarash interview an int, chief climate officer at Berlin. "That's why we're really in a hurry here. The war in Ukraine and the energy crisis have taught us that we need to be faster. First and foremost, to become climate neutral, and secondly, to become independent (from energy imports). "
Coal and gas-fueled area heating systems usually burn as much fossil fuel as required to achieve their goals, contributing to carbon emissions that cause climate change. Other companies are working on smaller renewable energy storage techniques using phase-changing materials, but berlin's new heat tower, and holland's own on-the-job version, can help reduce emissions on a large scale.