Regional Council approves new cooling technology – ENTEGA aims to increase energy efficiency and reduce noise pollution
The modernization of the Darmstadt waste incineration plant (MHKW) continues. The Darmstadt Regional Council has approved the upgrade of air condenser 3 and the replacement of the hybrid coolers. This allows ENTEGA to implement further technical measures designed to increase the plant's energy efficiency and simultaneously improve noise protection for the surrounding area.
Regional President Prof. Dr. Jan Hilligardt handed over the approval notice on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, in the administration building of the waste incineration plant in Otto-Röhm-Straße to representatives of ENTEGA AG and the Zweckverband Abfallverwertung Südhessen (ZAS).
"This permit lays the foundation for the further technical modernization of the Darmstadt waste incineration plant, one of the most important waste disposal facilities in southern Hesse," explained Hilligardt. At the same time, it ensures that the protection of people and the environment will continue to meet current requirements.
New technology is intended to work more efficiently and quietly
A key component of the now approved measures is the renewal of air condenser 3. Such a condenser cools the steam produced in the power plant process using air and condenses it back into water.
Structural modifications and the installation of new, particularly quiet fans are intended to improve air circulation and increase maximum thermal output. At the same time, noise pollution in the surrounding area should be reduced. This applies especially to nighttime hours, when the fans operate at reduced speed.
The four existing hybrid coolers on the roof of the waste incineration plant will also be replaced. The new, quieter units are designed to operate more efficiently and support the increased performance of the air condenser. Hybrid coolers combine air and water for cooling and can therefore adapt flexibly to different operating conditions.
The existing air condenser 2 will remain in operation for the time being. It will only be dismantled once the new systems are fully operational. Air condenser 1 was previously decommissioned and removed. According to those involved, the performance data and other operations of the waste incineration plant will remain unaffected by the now-approved changes.
"To position the location sustainably and for the future"
For the Zweckverband Abfallverwertung Südhessen (South Hesse Waste Management Association), the investment is part of securing the site's long-term future. "As a special-purpose association, we bear responsibility for safe, economical, and sustainable waste management in South Hesse," explained District Administrator and ZAS Association Chairman Klaus Peter Schellhaas. Modern and efficient plant technology is necessary to meet increasing demands in the future.
ENTEGA board member Dr. Julia Klinger also pointed to the importance of the power plant for Darmstadt: "For Darmstadt, the waste incineration plant has a dual significance: as an important site for waste recycling and as a reliable anchor of the municipal heat supply."
“This modernization marks an important milestone for the waste incineration plant,” adds Markus Sattler, ENTEGA's overall project manager. The company is investing specifically in new technology to ensure the site's sustainability and future viability.
The conversion of the waste incineration plant has been underway for several years
The measures now approved are part of a broader modernization of the Darmstadt waste incineration plant. The Darmstadt Regional Council had already approved the conversion and modernization in December 2023 as part of an emissions control permitting process.
In addition to the existing incineration line 3, the new incineration line 4, where waste was incinerated for the first time on May 13, 2026. A line 5 for the treatment of sewage sludge constructed, with commissioning scheduled for 2028. The older incineration lines 1 and 2 will be gradually decommissioned and dismantled.
The waste incineration plant belongs to the Zweckverband Abfallverwertung Südhessen (South Hesse Waste Management Association). ENTEGA is responsible for the plant's operational management.
(DARMSTADT – RED/ENTEGA)
Featured image: Joy over the successful completion of the project and the handover of the funding notification: (from left: Dr. Julia Klinger, Board Member ENTEGA AG, Regional President Prof. Dr. Jan Hilligardt, District Administrator Klaus Peter Schellhaas, Ben Herdin Lüttges, ENTEGA AG
