Lake water provides warmth at railway station

From the beginning of October, the railway station in Zug station has been heated with energy generated from the lake. Because the heating systems had to be renovated in any case, a switch was made from fossil energy to lake water heat.

By connecting to the lake-water heating network of WWZ AG, the SBB has replaced an annual amount of 540 megawatt hours (MWh) of natural gas with the climate-friendly alternative from Lake Zug, which corresponds to the energy consumption of around 120 households. This is stated in a press release from the SBB. In addition to heating, the SBB will also obtain the cold air required for cooling the station in the summer from the lake.

"With the refurbishment of the heating systems in Zug and the avoidance of he use of fossil fuels, we are contributing to the "Exemplary Energy and Climate" initiative,

explains project manager Marisa Stephan. SBB joined this initiative in 2016, and has since avoided installing systems with fossil fuels, such as heating oil or natural gas, for new buildings or for the replacement of heating systems. In four years, SBB has already converted more than 140 plants to fossil-free alternatives, saving more than 1.66 million litres of heating oil annually. This corresponds to the volume of around 66 tanker trucks, thereby reducing CO₂ emissions by a total of 4,500 tons.

In addition to heating, the supply of power to the SBB is also sustainable: according to the statement, the railway company only obtains the electricity for all its buildings from hydropower. Not only is rail travel therefore climate-friendly at the SBB, but increasingly also the stations and the other buildings.

"Exemplary Energy and Climate" Initiative
The Exemplary Energy and Climate initiative (Initiative Vorbild Energie und Klima) is aimed at companies close to the federal and cantonal sectors who want to act in an innovative and exemplary manner in the field of energy. By signing a Memorandum of Understanding, they commit themselves to making an ambitious contribution to increasing energy efficiency and the expansion of renewable energies in Switzerland.