Stadtwerke Eichstätt

Stadtwerke Eichstätt (SWE) is the regional energy and water utility for the town of Eichstätt in Bavaria, Germany. Its origins trace back to 1863, when the town magistrate commissioned the production of gas for street lighting. Over the following decades, water and electricity supply were added, and in recent decades the company expanded into services such as a public swimming pool and public transport. Today, Stadtwerke Eichstätt Energie GmbH supplies customers with electricity, gas, water, and district heating. It operates a combined heat and power plant in the Spitalstadt district, a biomass heating plant in Schottenau, two hydroelectric plants, a biogas plant at the sewage treatment facility, an outdoor swimming pool, and several photovoltaic installations. The company also runs the municipal bus service in Eichstätt, with four city bus lines, three school bus lines, and two on-demand bus lines. In summer, it offers an e-bike rental service and supports the installation of e-bike charging points; it also provides charging points for electric cars at four locations. Since 2017, it has offered the "eichstätt-energreen" tariff for customers who wish to purchase electricity from renewable sources. The company headquarters at Gundekarstraße 2 was built between 1986 and 1988 to designs by Munich architect Michael Gaenssler. As the local grid operator, Stadtwerke Eichstätt GmbH is the default supplier for electricity, gas, water, and district heating in its network area. In 2014, it received the Bavarian Energy Prize.

The history of Stadtwerke Eichstätt begins in 1863, when the magistrate of Eichstätt commissioned the production of gas for the town's street lighting. This marked the start of the municipal gas supply, which over the following decades was expanded to include water and electricity supply. As Eichstätt grew throughout the 20th century, the demands on the utility increased, and the company's development in recent decades has been characterized by the addition of service areas such as the outdoor swimming pool and public passenger transport. In 1986–1988, a new company headquarters was built below the Willibaldsburg castle, following an architectural competition. The building was designed by Munich architect Michael Gaenssler and features a curved administration wing, window bands, an entrance hall, open staircases, and galleries on the second floors. The warehouse hall, with a reinforced concrete skeleton and aluminium skin, is deliberately enclosed by a quarter-circle arc on Gundekarstraße. The garden architect was Gerhart Teutsch, the civil engineers were Sailer & Stepan, and the lighting designer was Walter Bamberger. The architect and photographer Michael Gaenssler photographed the building, and it was later documented by Klaus Kinold. In 2000, a new waterworks, "Pfünzer Forst", was built. In 2010, the biomass heating plant in Schottenau began operation, followed in 2013 by the combined heat and power plant in the Spitalstadt district. In 2014, Stadtwerke Eichstätt received the Bavarian Energy Prize. Since 2017, the company has offered the "eichstätt-energreen" tariff, providing energy from renewable sources. The company continues to operate the municipal bus service, the outdoor pool, and various renewable energy installations, and it promotes e-mobility through e-bike rental and charging infrastructure.

• 2017

  Introduction of the "eichstätt-energreen" tariff for renewable energy.

• 2014

  Stadtwerke Eichstätt receives the Bavarian Energy Prize.

• 2013

  Combined heat and power plant in the Spitalstadt district begins operation.

• 2010

  Biomass heating plant in Schottenau begins operation.

• 2000

  New waterworks "Pfünzer Forst" is built.

• 1988

  New headquarters building at Gundekarstraße 2 is completed.

• 1986

  Construction begins on the new company headquarters below Willibaldsburg, designed by Michael Gaenssler.

• 1863

  Eichstätt magistrate commissions gas production for street lighting, marking the origin of the municipal utility.

Municipal utility providing essential energy, water, and public services to Eichstätt, with a focus on renewable energy and local infrastructure.

• Electricity supply

  The company operates a 188 km underground cable network with 61 transformer stations, supplying over 3,900 household connections (as of 31 December 2014).

• Natural gas supply

  Approximately 180 million kWh of natural gas is distributed annually through a 60 km pipeline network connected to 3,300 household connections with around 3,100 meters (as of 31 December 2014).

• Water supply

  Water is supplied from the "Pfünzer Forst" waterworks, built in 2000. Drinking water consumption has steadily declined in recent years.

• District heating

  The district heating network supplies private and commercial customers. The biomass heating plant in Schottenau (since 2010) and the combined heat and power plant in Spitalstadt (since 2013) feed into the network.

• Public bus transport

  Stadtwerke Eichstätt operates 4 city bus lines, 3 school bus lines, and 2 on-demand bus lines.

• Outdoor swimming pool

  The company operates the Freibad Eichstätt.

• E-bike rental and charging

  In summer, an e-bike rental service is offered, and the company supports the installation of e-bike charging points. Electric car charging points are provided at four locations for free charging.

• eichstätt-energreen tariff

  Since 2017, customers can choose this tariff to receive energy from renewable generation plants.

1. 1Stadtwerke Eichstätt official websitestadtwerke-eichstaett.de
2. 2Stadtwerke Eichstätt - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Stadtwerke Eichstätt - Wikidatawikidata.org