aktuell 1/2010 - Viessmann

Magazine for Heating Technology 

The sun – energy for life 

42th Year 2010 Issue 1

Publisher: 

Dr. Martin Viessmann 

Editorial office: 

Manfred Greis 

Michael Wagner 

Doris Hofmann 

Alexander Tinter 

Wolfgang Rogatty 

Bachinger Öffentlichkeitsarbeit: 

Wolfgang Exler-Bachinger 

Dirk Brandes 

Photographs: 

German government, Steffen Kugler 

German Energy Agency (dena), Berlin 

dpa Picture-Alliance GmbH, Frankfurt 

Karl Duschek 

Frank Feisel 

HNA, Frankenberg 

InterContinental Hotel, Shanghai Expo 

photothek.net 

Rolf Kosecki, Sportbild agency, Bonn 

Paul Langrock, Berlin 

Stadtwerke München GmbH 

Herbert Stolz, Regensburg 

“Studio-S” – Seekamp GmbH, Bremen 

Werner Vöhl 

Layout: 

Stankowski + Duschek 

Alexander Tinter 

Lithography and printing: 

Bernecker Mediengruppe 

D-34212 Melsungen 

Editorial office address: 

Viessmann Werke GmbH & Co KG 

Corporate Communications 

D-35107 Allendorf (Eder) 

Phone: +49 (0) 64 52 / 70 24 93 

Fax: +49 (0) 64 52 / 70 21 48 

Email: info-pr@viessmann.de 

Internet: www.viessmann.de 

Cover: 

The sun – a synthesis of photography 

and graphics created by Karl Duschek. 

2nd cover page: 

Vacuum tubes of the 

Vitosol 300-T solar collector 

3rd cover page: 

A sun graphic in the form of a 

mandala designed by Karl Duschek. 

Viessmann was presented with 

the “Energy Efficiency Award” 

by dena for its innovative heat 

recovery system at the Allendorf 

headquarters – Page 20 

A biogas plant is being built at 

the company’s headquarters in 

Allendorf (Eder). Once it has been 

completed, it will make a significant 

contribution to providing the 

facility with a sustainable heat 

and power supply – Page 15 

Two impressive buildings at Expo 

2010 in Shanghai are heated using 

Viessmann technology – both the 

China pavilion and the VIP hotel 

at the World Exhibition – Page 28 

Editorial 

2 Inconsistent subsidy policies 

putting climate protection 

targets in jeopardy 

4 News 

Solar energy 

6 The sun – an inexhaustible 

source of energy 

Industry 

12 First summit of the “Climate 

Protection Dialogue” initiative 

Biogas 

13 Biogas – a key component in 

sustainable energy supply 

14 Schmack Biogas joins 

the Viessmann Group as of 

1 January 2010 

15 Biogas plant in Allendorf 

Promoting a sustainable heat 

and electricity supply 

Studies 

16 BDH study on sustainable 

heating supply 

Opening the heating market to 

biogas and bio oil. 

18 The German government’s 

Integrated Energy and Climate 

Programme (IEKP): Study 

examines economic impact 

Company 

20 Viessmann wins Energy 

Efficiency Award 

Products 

22 Vitodens 300-W: 

Rated #1 by Stiftung 

Warentest 

Content 

23 Stiftung Warentest: 

Viessmann products 

consistently finish at the top 

24 Air/water heat pumps from 

Viessmann 

Efficiently using outside air as 

a heat source 

26 Vitosol 200-T: 

New vacuum tube heat pipe 

collector 

New media 

27 Search quickly and 

conveniently: 

The new comprehensive 

product range navigator 

Practical applications 

28 Viessmann at Expo 2010 in 

Shanghai 

Heat for the China Pavilion 

and the VIP hotel at the World 

Expo 

29 Viessmann Shanghai 

Representative Office 

Sport 

30 Viessmann Team athletes 

meet with their fans 

Long-time members of the 

Viessmann Team end their 

successful careers 

Sport Shop 

31 Summer 2010 Sport Shop 

catalogue: 

The perfect equipment for any 

outdoor activity 

Classics 

32 Here comes the sun … 

1

Inconsistent subsidy policies putting 

climate protection targets in jeopardy 

While debate continues to rage 

within the governing coalition in 

Berlin regarding the government’s 

course of action, we are once 

again seeing positive news on 

Germany’s economic situation. 

The press has reported that 

unemployment should fall below 

the three million mark this year, 

and there is already a shortage 

of skilled personnel. The German 

Institute for Economic Research 

(DIW) has also raised its growth 

forecast for 2010 to 1.9 percent. 

While not outstanding, it may 

signal the end of the crisis. 

Exports are the primary 

drivers of economic recovery 

Even so, the positive 

developments recently referred 

to as a “jobs miracle” by the 

Federal Minister of Economics 

have been driven mostly by 

exports. German markets are 

still some way from meeting 

expectations, and this is also true 

of the heating industry. Following 

the collapse of the heating market 

in 2007 (down by 25 percent) 

and moderate increases in 2008 

and 2009, we are still below the 

2006 market volume, and the 

2 

market is expected to decline by 

another 5 percent in 2010. As a 

result, the backlog of deferred 

modernisation will grow even 

larger. Yet the challenges posed by 

climate change and future energy 

supplies cannot be met without 

exploiting the full potential offered 

by modernising energy systems in 

existing buildings. 

Modernisation rates need to 

be doubled 

The German government has set 

ambitious targets as part of its 

dual strategy. By increasing energy 

efficiency and expanding the use 

of renewable energy sources, 

it aims to ensure a sustainable 

energy supply and protect 

the climate. To achieve these 

objectives, approximately one 

million systems would have had 

to be modernised each year from 

2006 to 2010, yet the average has 

only been 630,000 to date. This 

means that, starting in 2011, it 

will be necessary to modernise 

1.2 million systems every year 

until 2020 in order to meet the 

government’s targets. 

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Condensing technology 

combined with solar energy 

accounts for the majority 

Utilisation of solar energy plays an 

important role in the modernisation 

of existing buildings, for the 

combination of condensing 

technology and solar energy is by 

far the most common solution in 

all modernisations. 

Budget freeze caused a great 

deal of uncertainty 

The budget freeze imposed on 

the German market incentive 

scheme in May led to widespread 

uncertainty in the market, resulting 

not only in a sharp fall in the solar, 

heat pump and biomass boiler 

sectors, but a significant drop in 

total modernisation business as 

well. This measure also had a 

negative impact on fiscal policy, for 

to date the funds budgeted for this 

incentive scheme had been more 

than compensated for by additional 

VAT revenues. According to the 

IFO Institute, the nearly 370 million 

euros in subsidies paid out in 

2009 generated positive economic 

benefits amounting to 1.4 billion 

euros in all. The reduction in 

subsidy payments of 115 million 

euros during the current year 

as a result of the freeze to the 

incentive programme, on the other 

In order to achieve the German 

government’s ambitious climate 

protection targets, approximately 

one million new heating systems 

would have had to be installed 

each year starting in 2006, yet the 

average has only been 630,000 

to date. This means that, starting 

in 2011, it will be necessary to 

modernise 1.2 million systems 

every year until 2020 in order to 

meet the government’s targets. 

hand, is expected to have negative 

effects amounting to 600 million 

euros (see also the article on 

pages 18/19). 

The German Parliament’s budget 

committee has since lifted the 

freeze, but this is not all good 

news, for major new restrictions 

have now been placed on this 

market incentive scheme. Not only 

have new buildings been excluded, 

but solar energy systems for hot 

water heating and wood fired 

boilers are no longer supported 

either, and the eligibility criteria for 

heat pumps have been tightened. 

The lack of continuity in subsidy 

policy is even more detrimental, 

because it robs investors of 

planning certainty. 

Tax incentives for 

owner-occupied residential 

properties 

In order to get the drive to 

modernise energy systems 

moving on a large scale, it will 

be necessary to mobilise home 

owners in particular. This calls 

for a tax incentive such as that 

entailed by Paragraph 82 a of the 

Income Tax Ordinance (EStDV) that 

expired nearly two decades ago. In 

addition to the advantages that the 

IFO Institute has ascribed to the 

market incentive scheme, a special 

tax allowance such as this would 

also help to combat such work 

being carried out off the books. 

High payments for solar 

power 

The subsidy situation is quite 

different for solar energy. While 

it only accounts for about one 

percent of German energy 

consumption at present, the 

Federation of German Consumer 

Organisations (vzbz) estimates

that 10 billion euros will be paid for 

the feed-in solar power provided 

by the systems installed in 2009 

alone. Over the next twenty years, 

these payments could add up to 

100 billion euros. 

It is hard to comprehend why 

the government is having such 

difficulty in raising the funding 

rate digression, something that 

has long been overdue, while the 

market incentive scheme was put 

on ice for months before being 

revived in much reduced form. 

Stiftung Warentest tests 

condensing boilers and solar 

storage cylinders 

In a report focusing on tests of 

gas fired condensing boilers and 

solar cylinders in its July 2010 

issue, Stiftung Warentest, the 

leading consumer protection 

organisation in Germany, 

identifies an increasing trend 

towards condensing technology 

as a result of the unsatisfactory 

funding situation for solar energy 

systems. It confirms that these 

can save a great deal of energy 

and recommends installing a solar 

cylinder whenever performing 

such a modernisation, even if the 

customer would like to wait on 

installing the solar thermal system. 

Vitodens 300-W named test 

winner 

Viessmann’s Vitodens 300-W 

system with the Vitocell 100-W 

solar cylinder was the test winner. 

Stiftung Warentest not only 

found that it had a particularly 

clean combustion process and 

outstanding energy efficiency, 

but also credited it with excellent 

ease-of-use and workmanship (see 

article on page 22). 

Regardless of whether it is 

energy efficient gas fired or oil 

fired condensing boilers or heat 

generation systems for renewable 

energies, Viessmann products 

have repeatedly been the winners 

of Stiftung Warentest tests. 

Success is also an obligation 

We believe that this success is 

also an obligation not to cease in 

our continuous efforts to improve, 

so that we can go on offering 

Viessmann customers the best 

solutions for every application 

with our comprehensive product 

range in future. It is an obligation 

to which we also hold our 

suppliers. In the past, they have 

not always met this obligation 

in full, something which led us, 

as a precautionary measure, to 

replace some components in wall 

mounted devices that had already 

been installed in the field. These 

efforts to ensure the satisfaction 

of the systems’ operators created 

additional expenditure not only for 

us, but for our trade partners in 

particular. 

Editorial 

During the summit of the “Climate 

Protection Dialogue” on 25 May 

2010 in Berlin, German Federal 

Minister for the Environment Dr. 

Norbert Röttgen (second from left) 

spoke in favour of the revival of the 

market incentive scheme. Dr. Martin 

Viessmann (second from right) is 

Chairman of the “Climate Protection 

in Buildings” working group. 

We greatly appreciate the 

understanding that our customers 

showed in this matter, as well as 

their valuable assistance in dealing 

with the situation. We initiated 

additional quality assurance 

measures with the responsible 

suppliers in response, and these 

were implemented straight away. 

I would like to wish all “aktuell” 

readers an enjoyable and relaxing 

holiday. 

Dr. Martin Viessmann 

3

6 th and 7 th Viessmann 

Energy Forums 

The failure of the UN Climate 

Change Conference in 

Copenhagen is no reason to lessen 

our efforts to protect the climate. 

That was one of the key insights of 

the 6th and 7th Viessmann Energy 

Forums which took place at the 

Viessmann Academy in Allendorf 

in March and May. 

As Dr. Martin Viessmann put 

it in his opening speech: “Our 

decision to initiate the Viessmann 

Energy Forum series arose from 

a realisation that there was 

widespread uncertainty among 

system operators, investors and 

decision-makers regarding the 

options available to them for 

improving the energy efficiency 

of their buildings and properties, 

as well as the practicality of using 

renewable energy sources. This 

forum should provide you with the 

arguments you need to provide 

orientation for your customers and 

motivate them to make the right 

decisions.” 

4 

Prof. Dr. Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, 

Director of the Potsdam Institute for 

Climate Impact Research, also gave 

a lecture in Allendorf. 

As in previous events, renowned 

experts were on hand to present 

their viewpoints and ideas 

for solutions, and take part in 

question and answer sessions 

afterwards. In addition to Prof. 

Dr. Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, 

Director of the Potsdam Institute 

for Climate Impact Research, and 

Franzjosef Schafhausen from the 

German Environment Ministry, the 

speakers also included Stephan 

Kohler, Chief Executive of the 

German Energy Agency (dena). 

Two new “red dot” awards for 

Viessmann 

Two Viessmann products have 

won one of Germany’s most 

important design prizes: both the 

Vitodens 300-W wall mounted 

gas fired condensing boiler and 

the Vitocal 300-G brine/water heat 

pump received the “red dot award: 

product design 2010”. This year 

saw more than 1,600 companies 

enter some 4,250 products in the 

competition, where they were 

judged according to the contest’s 

high standards by an international 

jury of experts. 

Vitodens 300-W 

Vitocal 300-G 

Viessmann Poland wins the 

“Teraz Polska” award 

Polish subsidiary Viessmann 

Poland has won the “Teraz 

Polska” award for “TD24”, its 

24 hour technical service. This 

award is only given to products 

and services that meet the highest 

quality standards. 

Polish President Bronisław 

Komorowski wrote a letter 

congratulating the winner: “You 

have every right to be proud of 

your achievement. I hope that 

the Teraz Polska award offers 

your company a wealth of new 

opportunities for business success 

and for acquiring new customers.” 

1 st Heat Pump Forum in Allendorf 

Some 170 heat pump experts 

from throughout Germany got 

together in April to exchange 

ideas and opinions in Allendorf. 

The first Viessmann Heat Pump 

Forum focused on the potential of 

this innovative technology, and on 

its outlook in the heating market. 

Experts used their presentations 

to showcase current development 

trends, such as split system heat 

pumps, a particularly affordable 

technology soon to be launched 

on the market, and new drilling 

methods which not only cut costs, 

but also allow the installation of 

geothermal probes in places where 

space would have been insufficient 

in the past. 

Lively discussions amongst 

tradesmen, planners and engineers 

in between the presentations 

promoted the sharing of ideas 

Viessmann Poland 

celebrates the “Teraz 

Polska”. This photo 

shows the Legnica 

plant. 

Karl-Heinz Stawiarski, Managing 

Director of the German Heat Pump 

Association (BWP), during his 

presentation. 

and expertise. Visitors also had 

the opportunity to take a look at 

the current Viessmann heat pump 

range while getting first-hand 

information about the devices from 

their developers.

Students draw Viessmann comics 

Building services engineering 

students at Tongji University in 

Shanghai recently tried their hand 

as comic artists and authors – with 

success: they took first place in 

the “Most innovative company 

and product comics” contest 

sponsored by Deutschkolleg 

Shanghai. The lively comics they 

created are focused on Viessmann 

Werke, for the company provides 

support for Tongji University, 

including the provision of heat 

generating systems for hands-on 

use in seminars. The victorious 

students were invited to visit 

Rupprecht Geiger has passed away 

One of Germany’s most important 

artists in the 20 th century, 

Rupprecht Geiger, passed away 

late last year at the age of 101. 

Geiger, a painter and sculptor, 

was also commissioned to do a 

number of works for Viessmann’s 

headquarters in Allendorf. 

His life’s work was focused on 

colour, and reduction and clarity 

were his leitmotifs. Geiger saw 

colour as an autonomous value, 

freeing it from form to allow it 

to exert its spiritual power. His 

oil paintings, screen prints and 

watercolours were distinguished 

by their simple geometric shapes 

(squares, rectangles, circles and 

ovals), vivid colours and intense 

contrasts. Rupprecht Geiger lived 

and worked in Munich. 

The young artists with their creative 

works of art. 

Viessmann’s offices in Shanghai, 

where they had the opportunity to 

get to know the company and its 

products a bit better. 

Rupprecht Geiger was 

commissioned to create a number 

of artworks for Viessmann’s 

headquarters. 

It is urgently necessary that the 

drive to modernise existing heating 

systems get moving again, and the 

German Industrial Association for 

Building Services, Energy and 

Environmental Engineering (BDH) 

and the German Renewable 

Energy Federation (BEE) have 

issued a joint resolution identifying 

four fields of action in order to 

finally realise the potential of the 

heating market: 

4 Accelerating the modernisation 

of heating systems – promoting 

renewable energy and efficiency 

4 Stabilising market developments 

– optimising the market 

incentive scheme 

4 Solving the investor/user 

dilemma – striking a balance 

between their interests 

4 Generating greater readiness 

to invest – using information 

and communications to increase 

market confidence 

In this resolution, BDH and BEE 

note that more than half of all 

German energy consumption is 

devoted to supplying heat, and 

that 40 percent of CO 2 emissions 

come from this activity. Two thirds 

of this is accounted for by heating 

and DHW heating alone. At the 

same time, only about 13 percent 

of the heating systems in Germany 

The German Energy Agency (dena) 

is inviting municipal authorities to 

take part in the “Energy efficiency 

in municipalities – good examples 

in 2010” competition. They are 

looking for successful energy 

efficiency projects – such as in 

schools, kindergartens, workshops 

and town halls operated by 

municipalities – that have achieved 

above-average energy savings 

and which are suitable for serving 

as examples for others. The 

competition is part of a dena 

project that awards the Good 

News 

BDH and BEE issue joint resolution 

Modernising existing heating 

systems and expanding the use of 

renewable energy (solar energy 

modules shown above) offer 

tremendous potential for protecting 

the climate. 

are efficient and based on 

renewable energy sources. 

Modernising existing heating 

systems and expanding the use of 

renewable energy offer tremendous 

potential for protecting the 

climate. At the same time, this 

strategy also helps to shield 

consumers from skyrocketing oil 

and gas prices while securing jobs 

in the trades and industry. 

According to BDH and BEE, the 

challenge for 2010 is to overcome 

the reluctance of systems 

operators to invest, and to work 

on a broad front to ensure that the 

heating in homes and flats is 

generated efficiently and from 

renewable energy. 

dena launches Energy Efficiency 

competition 

Practice label to outstanding 

examples of energy efficiency. 

Competition participants have 

the opportunity to obtain this label 

and to use it in their own 

communications. dena announces 

the award winners and presents 

a total of 25,000 euros in prizes. 

The deadline for applications is 

10 September 2010. 

More information on the competition 

and the label is available 

on the German-language website 

www.good-practice-label.de 

5

The sun – 

an inexhaustible source of energy 

Oil, gas and coal are finite 

resources, and their combustion 

generates climate-damaging 

CO 2 emissions. Even the world’s 

uranium reserves are finite. In 

order to reduce dependence 

on these energy sources and 

protect the atmosphere, by 2020 

energy efficiency in Germany 

and the EU is to be increased 

by 20 percent, and the share 

of renewable energy is to be 

expanded to 20 percent. Even 

then, however, the lion’s share 

of Germany’s energy needs 

will still have to be met by 

fossil fuels. “aktuell” is running 

a series of articles on the 

importance of various energy 

sources. Following a piece on 

biomass in Issue 2/2009, we are 

now showcasing solar energy. 

While it may be about 150 million 

kilometres away, the sun is essential 

to our existence, and it drives many 

important processes on Earth, 

including the climate and life itself. 

6 

The sun is the Earth’s ultimate 

source of energy, influencing the 

planet’s weather patterns, as 

well as many other processes – 

including the development of life. 

For some 4.5 billion years, our 

central star has been generating 

immense amounts of energy 

through nuclear fusion, emitting 

63 megawatts of energy into 

space for each square metre of its 

surface. This means that every 24 

hours, the sun emits 1.5 million 

kilowatt hours of energy per 

square metre. The energy content 

is equivalent to approx. 150,000 

litres of fuel oil – day after day, 

and it is expected to continue for 

another five billion years. 

Yet this solar radiation loses 

a considerable amount of its 

intensity while travelling the 

roughly 150 million kilometres 

to Earth, and the average energy 

of the radiation when it meets 

the upper layers of the Earth’s 

atmosphere is 1,367 watts per 

square metre. The atmosphere 

absorbs some of this energy 

as well, which means that in 

Germany no more than 1,000 

watts will reach the surface on 

a day with clear skies – and as 

little as about 50 watts when it is 

heavily overcast. 

Once the solar energy has made 

this journey, it warms the Earth’s 

surface, which in turn emits 

some of this warmth to the air 

layers above it. In this way, solar 

radiation is both the cause and

the motor behind the creation of 

clouds and wind. With the help 

of photosynthesis, plants are also 

able to make use of sunlight to 

grow. Wind power, hydroelectric 

power, biomass and even fossil 

fuels such as oil, natural gas and 

coal can all be traced back to the 

influence of solar energy. 

Solar energy helps conserve 

fossil fuels 

Using solar energy to at least 

partially cover energy requirements 

when this is technically possible 

and economically feasible helps 

to reduce the consumption of oil, 

natural gas and coal, and thus to 

conserve the Earth’s fossil fuels. 

This means that people make both 

direct and indirect use of the solar 

energy reaching the Earth. 

Yet the indirect utilisation is rarely 

seen as employing solar energy. 

Among other things, this includes 

the use of heat pumps in order to 

deploy ground or outdoor air that 

has been warmed by the sun to 

heat buildings, biomass as fuel 

and wind and hydroelectric power 

plants to generate electricity. 

Direct utilisation involves directly 

tapping incoming solar radiation 

for the generation of power or 

conversion into heat. 

Importance set to increase 

The importance of solar energy in 

the ranks of renewable energies is 

set to increase. Its advantages are 

particularly evident in sundrenched 

regions such as Southern Europe 

and North Africa, while it has 

strong competition from other 

methods for generating power 

and heat in the cloudier climes of 

Northern Europe. 

With today’s technologies, 

however, it is also possible to 

make good use of the solar energy 

available in Central and Northern 

Europe as well. In Germany, solar 

thermal systems are used primarily 

to supplement the heat and power 

supplies of single- and multi-family 

residences and public facilities 

such as swimming pools. Due to 

the fact that the sun alone is rarely 

sufficient to provide all power 

in Germany, it is not possible 

to do without an additional heat 

generation system, such as an 

efficient condensing boiler, and 

conventional power plants for 

generating electricity. Even so, the 

utilisation of solar energy helps to 

conserve fossil fuels and protect 

the environment. 

Solar energy 

Photovoltaic systems: generating 

electricity directly from solar energy 

Photovoltaic systems generate 

electricity directly from sunlight – 

without using any mechanical or 

chemical processes. Photovoltaic 

solar cells are comprised 

of two different layers of a 

semiconducting material – usually 

silicon. When light strikes the 

solar cell, the radiant energy 

releases charges from the material, 

creating an electric potential; once 

the circuit has been completed 

between the two semiconductor 

layers via an appliance, electricity 

flows. 

The size and output of gridconnected 

photovoltaic systems 

do not have to be coordinated with 

the individual power requirements 

of the operator, which means these 

systems can produce more electricity 

than is required on site. 

Applications – from 

calculators to power plants 

Power from solar cells is now 

used in all manner of applications, 

with common examples including 

photovoltaic systems that feed 

the power they generate into the 

national power grid, as well as 

mobile and stationary stand-alone 

systems. 

7

Photovoltaic systems 

connected to the grid 

Grid-connected photovoltaic 

systems feed the solar energy 

they generate directly into the 

national power grid. Electricity 

needed on-site generally continues 

to be drawn from the power 

company, ensuring that the 

system operator is able to enjoy 

security of supply even during 

times when there is less sunlight. 

Since the size of a grid-connected 

system does not have to be 

tailored to individual power 

requirements, the scope of the 

investment budget and amount 

of space available are the key 

parameters that determine the 

system’s size. The smallest 

systems can run with a single solar 

module, and generate approx. 100 

watts. Systems with hundreds of 

thousands of modules have been 

created for commercial power 

generation, and these generate 

peak outputs in the double-digit 

megawatt range. 

When sunlight strikes an object, it 

grows warmer. This effect is the 

basis for solar thermal energy: an 

absorber plate made from a 

material with good heat 

conducting powers absorbs the 

sunlight and grows warmer as a 

result. The dark coating on the 

8 

Incident solar radiation in Germany 

Global radiation [Wh/(m 2 ·d)] 

6000 

4000 

2000 

0 

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 

Stand-alone systems that are 

not connected to the grid are 

primarily used where there is 

no national power grid or where 

connecting to this grid would be 

too expensive, such as in garden 

sheds and weekend cottages, as 

well for mobile applications such 

as caravans. This method has also 

proven its worth for illuminating 

traffic signs, operating pay-anddisplay 

machines for parking, 

and portable devices such as 

calculators. 

Direct solar radiation 

Diffuse solar radiation 

Solar thermal energy: heating and cooling with solar energy 

surface of this absorber helps 

prevent the reflection of the 

majority of the light, while the loss 

of heat to the environment is 

reduced by the thermally-insulated 

collector housing or the evacuated 

tubes in which the absorber plates 

are located. The solar heat 

Promoted by the government 

Each kilowatt hour of photovoltaic 

power is currently being 

subsidised by an amount equal 

to roughly twice the price of 

household power. Due to these 

large subsidies and the resulting 

return on capital, the profit motive 

is generally a bigger motivation for 

installing these systems than is 

climate protection. At the end of 

March, Germany’s cabinet decided 

to reduce the amount paid for solar 

power by 16 percent as of 1 July – 

collected in this way is absorbed 

by a fluid (heat transfer medium) 

flowing through a pipe along the 

absorber and into a storage 

cylinder where it is kept ready for 

use. In Germany, the sun normally 

provides enough energy to heat 

nearly all the water needed for 

The amount of solar radiation 

that is available on the Earth is 

influenced by the season and 

by the weather. In Germany, for 

instance, it reaches its maximum 

between June and August. 

for all systems installed after this 

date. In response to the opposition 

of the Bundesrat – Germany’s 

Upper House of Parliament – this 

was postponed until 1 October, 

until which time these payments 

will be reduced by 13 percent. The 

announcement of these pending 

cuts to payments for feed-in 

solar power resulted in booming 

demand for photovoltaic systems, 

and consumer protection groups 

therefore expect the electricity 

levy payable by consumers, which 

is used to finance the expansion of 

renewable energy sources, to be 

doubled to four cents per kilowatt 

hour next year. 

cooking, showering etc. from May 

to September. Over the course of 

a year, as much as 60 percent of a 

single-family home’s hot water 

needs can be covered by free solar 

heat. If the systems used are 

coordinated ideally with the 

building’s architecture, it is 

possible to cover as much as a 

third of a building’s total heating 

needs with solar energy. 

Using solar collectors to harvest 

solar heat conserves fossil 

fuels and protects the atmosphere 

by reducing CO 2 emissions.

Subsidies put on ice 

Even so, the potential savings 

offered by solar thermal energy do 

not seem to be sufficient to make 

the additional heating available 

from the sun attractive for 

consumers, and demand for solar 

collectors fell dramatically once 

the German Finance Minister put 

the investment grants (averaging 

ten percent of the cost) for solar 

thermal energy systems on hold. 

The move put the achievement 

of the government’s energy and 

climate policy targets in danger. 

The market incentive scheme 

has since been resumed, but in 

markedly reduced form. Solar 

thermal systems in new buildings 

are no longer supported, for 

example, and they are only 

supported in modernisations 

when they provide central heating 

backup, as well as hot water. 

Solar energy is a worthwhile 

energy source for hot water heating 

and generating electricity – an 

example of both applications is 

shown in the picture below. 

Numerous application 

options 

Solar thermal systems for water 

heating and central heating backup 

are currently the state-of-theart 

in single- and multi-family 

residences. Additional fields of 

use have also opened up in recent 

years, particularly solar cooling for 

buildings and the generation of 

process heat. 

Solar hot water heating 

Large numbers of solar thermal 

systems for hot water heating 

have been installed on the roofs 

of single-family homes, as well as 

on larger buildings such as blocks 

of flats, hotels and hospitals. 

The technology is advanced and 

efficient, and its utilisation helps to 

conserve our valuable fossil fuels 

while reducing CO 2 emissions. As 

a result, a solar thermal system 

Solar energy 

The sun can make a valuable 

contribution to the energy supply if 

sufficient collector area is in place. 

should be part of any heating 

system wherever possible – in 

new buildings as well as existing 

ones. 

Central heating backup 

The use of solar thermal systems 

for central heating backup is now 

widespread. In recent years, well 

over half of all new collector area 

installed in Germany has been in 

solar thermal systems that provide 

hot water while also providing 

central heating backup. 

Due to the fact that there is often 

insufficient solar energy available 

for room heating on cold days 

and evenings when it is usually 

desired, it is necessary to store 

as much heat as possible during 

periods of high incident solar 

radiation. That is why hot water 

buffer cylinders are installed in 

these systems, for they can supply 

the heating systems with solar 

preheated water for several days. 

9

Meeting all of a building’s heating 

energy requirements with solar 

energy during the winter months 

is difficult in this part of Europe, 

and facilities that would be capable 

of storing such large volumes of 

solar heat, e.g. particularly large 

cylinders or alternative storage 

technologies, either require 

extremely large investments or are 

still in the development phase. 

Heating water for 

swimming pools 

Using solar thermal energy to 

heat public swimming pools is 

particularly attractive, for the solar 

energy is often available at the 

very times that it is needed for 

this purpose. This also means 

“Andasol 3” in the Spanish province 

of Granada in Andalusia is one of the 

country’s largest and most advanced 

solar power plants. 

10 

that a cylinder may not even be 

necessary, as the solar heat is 

simply pumped through pipes 

to the pool, where its heat is 

transferred to the swimming 

pool water by a heat exchanger. 

Swimming pools which are 

heated all year round generally 

require systems into which a 

heat generation system has been 

integrated to provide reheating. 

Solar cooling for buildings 

Summer is the time when there is 

the greatest demand for cooling 

buildings – and it is also the time 

when the greatest amount of solar 

energy is available. That is why, 

in addition to widely-used electric 

cooling systems, the use of solar 

heat to power cooling systems has 

been attracting increasing interest. 

These thermally driven absorption 

and adsorption machines generate 

cold water that is fed to the 

rooms to be cooled, where it 

absorbs heat and takes it away. 

Another possibility is offered by 

sorption systems with rotary heat 

exchangers, or ‘heat wheels’, 

which draw in air and cool it before 

feeding it into the room. 

Numerous solar thermal cooling 

systems have been installed in 

recent years. Solar cooling for 

buildings has graduated from the 

pilot phase, and is currently seen 

as a reliable solution, especially for 

larger buildings. 

Generation of process heat 

Numerous processes in the 

commercial sector, such 

as washing and degreasing 

procedures, are very well suited 

to the use of economical and 

environmentally friendly heat 

supplied by solar thermal systems. 

This is particularly true when 

the temperatures required can 

be supplied by conventional flat 

or vacuum tube collectors. A 

number of breweries and other 

companies in the food production 

sector are already equipped with 

solar thermal systems for such 

purposes. 

Solar thermal power 

generation 

Italian Nobel Prize winner Carlo 

Rubbia, Scientific Director at the 

Potsdam Institute for Sustainable 

Climate Research (IASS), 

calculated that 44,000 square 

kilometres of desert – only 0.13 

percent of the total desert area – 

in the Earth’s ‘sunbelt’ would be 

enough to cover all of our planet’s 

current electricity needs. Rubbia 

is a passionate proponent of solar 

energy, and is a particular fan of 

large solar power plants, otherwise 

known as ‘Concentrated Solar 

Power’ (CSP).

These solar power plants utilise 

collectors to focus large areas of 

light on a small area, generating 

the temperatures of hundreds of 

degrees Celsius that are needed to 

drive turbines. 

Parabolic trough power plants, 

the best known of these systems, 

involve the placement of parabolic 

mirrors in parallel which track the 

sun. An absorber tube is located 

in the mirror’s focal line, where 

the sunlight is concentrated to a 

factor of greater than 80, heating 

the thermal oil within the tube 

to approx. 400 °C. The thermal 

energy generated in this way is 

used to drive steam turbines that 

generate electric power. 

Only worthwhile in southern 

countries 

Systems such as these that can 

turn the energy in solar radiation 

into electrical power on a large 

scale have long since left the 

realm of science fiction. Spain 

already boasts ten of these power 

plants, with a total output of some 

380 megawatts. To compare: an 

average coal fired power plant 

has an output of approx. 600 

megawatts. The three largest 

and most advanced Spanish solar 

thermal systems – Andasol 1, 2 

and 3 – are located in the province 

of Granada in Andalusia, and have 

an output of roughly 50 megawatts 

each. Andasol 3 is still under 

construction, and is scheduled to 

go online in 2011. 

Other countries are also moving 

ahead with solar power plant 

projects, with the USA and China 

being particular hubs of activity. 

Projects are also in the pipeline in 

the Middle East and North Africa, 

especially Morocco, where the 

prospect of supplying electricity to 

Europe beckons. This is in keeping 

with the concept of the Desertec 

Foundation in Berlin, a grouping of 

NGOs, private individuals and – in 

a separate initiative – companies 

that is pursuing the objective of 

producing electricity in the deserts 

of Africa and the Middle East for 

local and European countries. 

Due to the insufficient intensity 

and duration of solar radiation 

in Northern Europe, and thus in 

Germany, large-scale solar power 

plants make little sense in these 

regions. 

Solar energy 

Viessmann 2010 Solympics 

In order to promote the expansion 

of solar energy use, Viessmann 

is holding the 2010 “Solympics”. 

Trade partners that are able to 

install as many square metres of 

collector area by 31 December 

2010 as they did in the previous 

year are eligible to participate, and 

will be given basic bonus points 

Gold 

= more than 100 m 2 

= 150 basic bonus points 

Silver 

= 50 to 99 m 2 


Bronze 

= 20 to 49 m 2 


The “Andasol 3” solar power plant 

has a total output of approx. 50 

megawatts. The plant is nearing 

completion, and is projected to enter 

into operation in 2011. 

accordingly. Four additional points 

are earned for every square metre 

above this total that is installed by 

the end of the year. All of the points 

can be redeemed for attractive 

prizes at the end of the campaign. 

For more details, please consult 

Viessmann’s 2010 Solympics 

brochure (available in German). 

Every 

additional 

square metre 

of collector 

area sold 

= 

4 bonus points 

Trade partners that are able to sell the same number of square metres of 

collector area in 2010 as they did in the previous year (1 March – 31 December 

2009) will be awarded basic bonus points based on the total area sold in 

2009. Another four bonus points will be awarded for every additional square 

metre. 

11

Following establishment by German Federal Minister 

for the Environment Dr. Norbert Röttgen: 

First summit of the “Climate Protection Dialogue” initiative 

After the establishment of the 

climate protection dialogue 

between industry and politics 

under the name “Klimaschutzdialog 

Wirtschaft und Politik” by 

German Federal Minister for the 

Environment Dr. Norbert Röttgen 

last December (as reported in 

“aktuell” 2/09), the first summit 

took place in late May in Berlin. In 

addition to the Federal Minister, 

participants included Dr. Joachim 

Faber, Member of the Board 

of Management of Allianz SE, 

Dr. Michael Inacker, Senior Vice 

President of Metro AG, and Rudolf 

Martin Siegers, head of Siemens 

Germany. As chair of the “Climate 

Protection in Buildings” working 

group, Dr. Martin Viessmann 

emphasised the importance of 

eliminating the backlog of deferred 

modernisation to achieve energy 

and climate policy goals. 

12 

Tremendous savings 

potential in buildings 

“As the largest consumers of 

energy in Germany, buildings 

represent a tremendous potential 

for savings; existing buildings 

are completely outdated and 

correspondingly inefficient”, said 

Dr. Viessmann. He pointed out that 

the structure of three-quarters of 

the existing 20 million buildings in 

Germany requires improvements, 

in other words their shells do not 

comply with modern standards of 

insulation. 

Of the 17.5 million total heating 

systems in Germany, barely 20% 

are at the current state of the art. 

If in the short term the rate of 

modernisation could be doubled 

while at the same time the 

potential for improved efficiency 

could be tapped and the share of 

renewable energy increased, the 

consumption of fossil fuels in this 

area could be decreased by more 

than 30% by the year 2020. This 

would correspond to approximately 

12% of the total energy 

consumption in Germany. In other 

words, more than half of the 

savings necessary by 2020 could 

be achieved in buildings alone. 

To systematically upgrade old 

systems will necessitate strong 

goal orientation on the part of 

investors as well as a framework 

that promotes modernisation. 

The objective: a sustainable, 

environmentally friendly, 

affordable energy supply 

Dr. Viessmann announced that 

the working group 1 of the 

climate protection dialogue 

will be developing concrete 

recommendations for this 

framework. The overarching goal 

is to establish a sustainable, 

environmentally friendly and 

affordable energy supply. 

Viessmann commented: “This will 

require using all available energy 

sources and ensuring highest 

efficiency. Efficiency is our most 

important resource.” 

German Federal Minister of the 

Environment Dr. Norbert Röttgen 

(third from left) convened the first 

summit of the Climate Protection 

Dialogue. As chair of the “Climate 

Protection in Buildings” working 

group, Dr. Viessmann (third from 

right) addressed the importance of 

modernising existing systems.

CO 2 -neutral, indigenous and always available: 

Biogas – a key component in 

sustainable energy supply 

At 70%, biomass makes 

up the largest proportion of 

renewable energy in the endconsumer 

market in Germany. 

Its key advantage is that it is an 

indigenous energy source which 

does not need to be imported 

from far regions of the world. 

Furthermore, biomass is available 

year-round in a continuous supply 

and can be stored – in contrast to 

the wind and the sun. Its absolute 

proportion in the end-consumer 

market in Germany is 7% (7.6% 

in heating, 5.2% in the power 

sector), of which biogas accounts 

for 10% in heating and 33% in the 

power sector. 

Ways to use biogas 

There are two fundamental ways 

to use biogas: 

4Local conversion into electricity 

in co-generation units 

Direct conversion into electricity 

is subsidised by the German 

Renewable Energies Act (EEG). 

Biogas in its original composition 

can be used in suitable combined 

heat and power stations. But 

the disadvantage is that the heat 

generated at the site of conversion 

must be discharged. Suitable heat 

sinks are not universally available. 

Only 22% of German biogas plants 

take advantage of the surplus heat. 

4Biogas purification and input into 

the natural gas network 

This method makes sense when 

there is no local demand for the 

heat. The biogas is processed in 

purification units and subsequently 

added to the natural gas supply in 

the form of “bio natural gas”. 

Up to now, German energy policy 

has only promoted the use of 

biogas in combined heat and 

power systems, as provided for in 

the German Renewable Energies 

Heat Act (EEWärmeG). The Heat 

Act categorises biogas as an 

energy source exclusively for cogeneration 

plants, not as a fuel for 

Industry / Biogas 

With an overall efficiency of 90%, 

biomethane plants are developing 

into combined heat and power 

systems, which can make a 

significant contribution to climate 

protection – biomethane plant in 

Pliening near Munich. 

condensing boilers. This is all the 

more puzzling, considering that 

gas fired condensing boilers have 

the highest efficiency of all heating 

sources at 98%, and that they 

make the most efficient use of the 

finite fuel source of biomass. 

A green future for the energy 

source of gas 

As a result, policy makers are 

called upon to open up the 

heating market for biogas and 

promote access to the natural gas 

network for biogas, in order to 

make biomethane, currently more 

expensive than natural gas, more 

attractive for customers. This 

would ensure a green future for 

the energy source of gas. 

Glimpse inside the fermenter of a 

biomethane plant during the 

construction phase. The stirrers have 

already been installed at left and 

right. 

13

Enhanced expertise in renewable energy 

Schmack Biogas joins the Viessmann Group 

as of 1 January 2010 

Viessmann was pleased to 

welcome a new member to its 

group at the beginning of this year: 

Schmack Biogas GmbH, one of the 

leading German suppliers of biogas 

systems with sales of EUR 68 

million in 2008. Its Management 

Board is comprised of Ulrich 

Schmack, Thomas Noebels, 

Werner Rüberg and Joachim 

Schlichtig. 

Pioneers in the industry 

Schmack Biogas has been setting 

the standard for high-utilisation 

biogas plants since 1995, earning 

the trust of farmers and energy 

producers alike. More than 230 of 

their systems have been installed 

worldwide, with a total output of 

more than 100 MW. 

Schmack biogas systems are 

based on the principle of wet 

fermentation (anaerobic digestion 

of substrates such as liquid 

manure, grass and energy plants). 

The company’s range of services 

covers the entire value-added 

chain. Today Schmack Biogas 

offers its services in project 

development, raw materials 

management, facility construction 

including commissioning, servicing 

and operation and thus ranks 

14 

amongst the few comprehensive 

suppliers in the industry. In 

addition to technical support, 

they focus on providing extensive 

microbiological services. 

Market leader in gas 

processing 

Schmack was the first company 

in Germany to succeed in 

feeding biogas into the natural 

gas network. The necessary 

technologies and processes 

were developed by Schmack 

subsidiary Carbotech. The largest 

bio natural gas plant based on 

renewable raw materials is located 

at the company’s headquarters 

in Schwandorf, Germany. The 

technologies for processing, 

purifying and generating biogas 

have been developed in-house. 

Schmack has received numerous 

awards for its innovative 

developments and commitment to 

the industry, including the German 

Solar Prize, the Cleantech Award 

and the Innovation Prize from a 

German SME initiative. 

Strategic additions to the 

comprehensive portfolio 

With the integration of Schmack 

Biogas, Viessmann taps the 

extensive expertise of the 

company, selectively enhances 

its comprehensive portfolio 

of products and services and 

strengthens its position in the 

promising market for renewable 

energies. Business with 

regenerative energy systems 

already accounts for 25% of sales. 

Schmack and BIOFerm: 

leveraging synergies 

With the 2007 acquisition of the 

two Austrian biomass specialists 

Mawera and Köb, Viessmann 

secured technological expertise 

in the use of solid biomass 

such as logs, pellets and wood 

chips for energy outputs up to 13 

megawatts. 

Also in 2007, Viessmann expanded 

into biogas with the acquisition 

of BIOFerm. The company 

specialises in constructing dry 

fermentation plants where 

by-products from landscaping 

and agriculture as well as organic 

waste are processed. The 

business of BIOFerm GmbH will 

also be directed from the 

Schmack Biogas is one of the leading 

German suppliers of biogas plants. 

A major focus of Schmack’s 

extensive range is on comprehensive 

microbiological services. 

headquarters of Schmack Biogas 

GmbH in Schwandorf, making 

it possible to capture important 

synergies between the two 

companies in the areas of 

planning, project management, 

order processing, commissioning 

and service. Technology and 

sales will be maintained in the 

current corporate structure under 

the brand name BIOFerm while 

benefiting from enhanced 

efficiency in business processes.

Efficiency 

Plus 

Biogas plant in Allendorf 

Promoting a sustainable heat and 

electricity supply 

Construction of a biogas plant 

began in autumn last year 

at Viessmann headquarters in 

Allendorf, Germany. Built 

by Viessmann Group member 

BIOFerm GmbH, the dry 

fermentation plant will generate 

biogas from agricultural and 

landscaping waste. 

4,500 tonnes of substrate will 

be converted into more than 

1.2 million kilowatt hours of 

electrical energy annually, while 

nearly 1.5 million kilowatt hours 

of thermal energy will be fed 

into the heating network of the 

Allendorf site. This will cover four 

percent of local electrical demand 

and three percent of thermal 

needs. This amount of energy 

would be enough to supply some 

380 households with electricity 

and heat approximately 70 

single-family homes. The energy 

is converted via a combined 

heating and power plant from the 

manufacturer ESS, also a member 

of the Viessmann Group, with an 

electrical output of 190 kW and a 

thermal output of 238 kW. 

Biogas plant a part of 

“Efficiency Plus” 

The new biogas plant is part of 

Viessmann’s “Efficiency Plus” 

sustainability project. By 

constructing this plant, the 

company underlines its 

commitment to the Allendorf site 

and to expanding the use of 

renewable energy sources. The 

biogas plant will decrease CO 2 

emissions by 500 tonnes per year, 

while the share of renewable 

energies in the end consumer 

market will increase from 23% to 

26%. The construction involves an 

investment of EUR 2.5 million. 

Biomass from the local 

vicinity 

The project is oriented toward 

the principle of sustainability. 

Consequently, only biomass 

from the immediate vicinity will 

be used, to avoid unnecessary 

transportation and to actively 

include farmers from the region 

as suppliers of the substrate. 

The project is subsidised by the 

Biogas 

German State of Hesse and the 

State Bank of the States of Hesse 

and Thuringia. 

A detailed report on the official 

opening and operational start-up of 

the biogas plant will be featured in 

the next issue of “aktuell”. 

The new biogas plant will convert 

4,500 tonnes of substrate into more 

than 1.2 million kWh of electrical 

energy and nearly 1.5 million kWh 

of thermal energy per year. 

15

BDH study on sustainable heating supply 

Opening the heating market to biogas and bio oil 

“The opportunities for biogas and 

bio oil in a sustainable heating 

market” – that is the title of a 

study that was commissioned by 

the German Industrial Association 

for Building Services, Energy and 

Environmental Engineering (BDH). 

The author, Prof. Dr. Manfred 

Kleemann, a consultant for energy 

efficiency and environmental 

protection in Bergheim, states 

that biogas is crucial if the share 

of renewable energy is to be 

increased. Biogas is also suitable 

for lending a ‘green’ touch to gas 

heating. Prof. Kleemann concluded 

that for this purpose, energy 

producers need to provide biogas 

with non-discriminatory access to 

the natural gas network. On the 

consumer side, the heating market 

has to be opened to biogas, and 

incentives for its use need to be 

established. 

We have included some excerpts 

of the study in the following – the 

complete document is available 

in German on the BDH website 

at “www.bdh-koeln.de” under 

“Broschüren”, where it can also 

be downloaded as a PDF file. The 

study highlights the long-term 

potential of biogas and bio oil in a 

sustainable heating market. 

Biogas is a crucial tool for increasing 

the share of renewable energy – 

Schmack biogas plant in Pliening 

near Munich with a gas output of 

5 MW. 

16 

Unsatisfactory situation in 

the heating market 

In spite of a number of successes 

in conserving energy and reducing 

CO 2 emissions in the building 

sector, there is still a great deal 

that needs to be done. Imported 

fossil fuels still account for too 

much of the market at 77%. Not 

only does this hurt the economy, 

but it also results in 120 million 

tonnes of CO 2 emissions each 

year. In addition, in spite of 

an increase in recent years, 

renewable energy sources still 

account for significantly less than 

ten percent of the heating sector, 

a figure that is far too low, and 

the number of modernisations 

involving new heating systems 

and thermal insulation carried out 

to date is still far from sufficient. 

There are simply too many old and 

inefficient heating systems being 

used. 

Analyses have shown that 

measures implemented to date 

in the building sector through the 


Programme (IEKP) are not 

sufficient to establish a heating 

market that will be sustainable for 

the long term. There is an urgent 

need for additional action in order 

to achieve the desired climate 

protection targets. 

Ecological efficiency 

scenario 

The Kleemann study describes 

what actions can be taken to 

ensure that the needed measures 

are carried out. These are divided 

into three categories: 

1. Increasing the rate of 

modernisation 

2. Increasing the use of renewable 

energy sources 

3. Widespread use of biogas and 

bio oil in the heating market. 

Obstacles posed by 

legislation 

Both the German Energy Saving 

Ordinance (EnEV 2009) and the 

Renewable Energies Heat Act 

(EEWärmeG) pose obstacles to 

a broad-based market launch of 

biogas and bio oil for generating 

heat: 

4 Wider use of bio oil and biogas 

is greatly hindered by the fact that 

the EnEV 2009 only accepts the 

use of liquid and gaseous biomass 

with a primary energy factor of 

0.5 if generation and consumption 

take place in close physical 

proximity – otherwise the user is 

penalised with the much higher 

primary energy factor for natural 

gas or fuel oil. 

4 In the EEWärmeG, the “most 

efficient technology” is defined 

differently for biogas (combined 

heat and power generation) and 

bio oil (condensing boiler), and

is too restricted in scope, as it 

excludes other important highly 

efficient systems. There is no 

openness to new technologies. 

4 The high admixture proportions 

that it calls for – 30% for 

biogas and 50% for bio oil – are 

unrealistic, and do not correspond 

to market conditions. There is 

also a lack of systems that are 

able to burn oil with such large 

proportions of bio components. 

4 As a result of the EEWärmeG 

and the Quota Act for Biofuels, 

residential buildings are treated 

differently than the transportation 

sector. In the transportation sector, 

for example, admixture proportions 

for biofuels are decreed without 

any requirements for efficient 

utilisation. 

Advantages and synergies 

for using biogas and bio oil 

in the heating market 

Utilising biogas and bio oil across 

the board would make it possible 

to achieve climate protection 

targets in the heating market more 

quickly and more sustainably due 

to the fact that they would take 

the place of large volumes of 

natural gas and oil. 

Biogas and bio oil provide 

independence from the very long 

replacement cycles for heating 

systems and the components 

of the building envelope. This 

makes it possible to alleviate the 

reservations about oil and gas 

plaguing many of those who have 

been waiting to modernise their 

systems. 

The establishment of a supply 

system based on biogas and bio 

oil throughout Germany has very 

positive effects for the economy, 

including: product innovations, 

supply security and high added 

value within the country, as well as 

the creation of jobs. 

Development of a 

sustainable heating market 

Establishing a 20% market share 

for biogas and for bio oil by 2030 

would have the following effects: 

1. The modernisation of heating 

systems and thermal insulation 

would result in energy savings of 

more than 15% by 2030. 

2. The consumption of imported 

fossil fuels (natural gas and fuel 

oil) would be reduced by 44%. In 

spite of the fall in consumption, 

however, oil and natural gas would 

remain the most important energy 

sources over the long term. 

3. The total proportion of renewable 

energy sources in the heating 

market would reach a share of 

18% by 2020, a figure which 

would markedly exceed the 

government’s target for renewable 

energy in the heating market (14 

percent). 

In addition to the increased use of 

renewable energy and widespread 

use of biogas and bio oil in the 

heating market, ecological efficiency 

also calls for an increase in 

the speed of modernisation – the 

compact gas fired condensing 

boiler Vitodens 343-F with an 

integrated solar cylinder. 

The study operated under the 

assumption that nearly one third of 

heating would be generated from 

renewable energy sources by 

2030. The ranking of renewable 

energy in the heating market would 

then be solid fuel biomass, bio oil, 

biogas and solar thermal energy. 

Government targets can only 

be met with bio oil and 

biogas 

Without widespread use of biogas 

and bio oil in the heating market, it 

will not be possible to meet the 

German government’s target of 

reducing CO 2 emissions by 40% by 

2020. 

Recommendations for the 

German government 

The long-term provision of biogas 

and bio oil throughout the country 

is a promising option for achieving 

a sustainable heating market, and 

the German government should 

add it to its list of energy and 

climate policy targets. 

Studies 

A key component of ecological 

efficiency in the Kleemann 

study is the increased use of 

renewable energy sources – a 

solar thermal system comprised 

of 10 Vitosol 200-F collectors 

on a two-family house in 

Geisenfeld, Upper Bavaria, is 

shown in the picture on the left. 

4 Equal treatment of the heating 

market and transportation sector 

with regard to the use of biogas 

and bio oil: 

Regulations and laws governing 

the competing heating market and 

transportation sector must be 

based on the same fundamental 

efficiency philosophy. 

4 Openness to different 

technologies: 

The ‘most efficient use’ must be 

defined more broadly and in a 

technology-neutral manner; 

otherwise competition and 

innovation are both restricted. 

4 Introduction of a subsidy policy: 

In order to achieve the admixture/ 

availability of biogas and bio oil 

throughout the country by 2030, it 

will be necessary to provide a 

subsidy of some sort during a rather 

long introductory phase. This is 

required in order to help compensate 

for the difference between the 

high production costs of biofuels 

and the prices of fossil fuels. 

17

The German government’s Integrated Energy and Climate Programme (IEKP): 

Study examines economic impact 

The Potsdam Institute for Climate 

Impact Research estimates that 

the atmosphere of the Earth can 

only accommodate 750 billion 

tonnes of CO 2 between now and 

the year 2050 if global warming 

is to be limited to two degrees 

Celsius higher than the preindustrial 

era. This means that percapita 

emissions must be reduced 

globally to little more than two 

tonnes per year. The turnaround 

must be achieved by 2020. 

It was with this in mind that 

the government launched the 


Programme (IEKP) in Meseberg in 

August 2007. By 2020, energy use 

must be reduced by 20 percent, 

and CO 2 emissions by 40 percent, 

in comparison with 1990. In 

addition, the share of renewable 

energy is to be expanded to 20 

percent. In order to achieve these 

18 

targets, a White Paper was agreed 

containing 29 individual measures 

on such topics as the efficient 

use of energy, combined heat and 

power generation and renewable 

energy sources. 

In order to determine the effects 

that the IEKP would have on the 

economy, the Fraunhofer Institute 

for Systems and Innovation 

Research (ISI) carried out a wideranging 

study. 

Significant increase in 

employment 

According to the study’s findings, 

the measures included in the 

White Paper would lead to an 

increase in employment of some 

380,000 jobs by the year 2020. 

If additional measures were 

implemented to achieve a 40 

percent reduction in greenhouse 

gas emissions, this number would 

rise to 630,000 jobs. Germany’s 

gross domestic product would be 

increased by some 70 or 81 billion 

euros respectively by 2020. 

This development is based on two 

primary factors: 

4 Significantly higher investments 

coupled with a simultaneous fall 

in energy expenditures 

4 An increase in productivity 

resulting from the investments 

and an improvement in the 

balance of trade arising from 

reduced imports of fossil fuels 

It will be essential that the agreed 

measures are implemented as 

designed, and that they are not 

sacrificed in favour of shortsighted 

austerity measures. The 

temporary budget freeze on the 

market incentive scheme for 

renewable energy has already 

resulted in the severe impairment 

of an important instrument for 

achieving the targets set by the 

IEKP. 

Market incentive scheme 

triggered investments of 

2.75 billion euros in 2009 

In a study describing the tax 

consequences of halting the 

subsidies offered in the market 

incentive scheme for renewable 

energy, the IFO Institute for 

Economic Research at Munich 

University highlights the fact 

that freezing this programme 

eliminates many significant 

positive effects. In 2009, for 

example, the subsidies paid out 

by this market incentive scheme 

triggered investments totalling 

2.75 billion euros, leading to value

Installation of a solar thermal system 

– by causing a fall in investments, 

freezing the market incentive 

scheme had a negative effect on the 

employment situation in particular. 

creation of approx. 2.6 billion 

euros in Germany. According 

to their calculations, direct and 

indirect investments triggered 

by the market incentive scheme 

created work that is equivalent to 

roughly 39,000 jobs, giving rise 

to savings of 470 million euros 

on unemployment benefit. In 

addition, this extra employment 

also resulted in more money being 

paid into social security schemes, 

amounting to a good 420 million 

euros. All in all, public coffers 

benefited to the tune of nearly 1.4 

billion euros. 

‘Stop-and-go’ treatment of 

the market incentive scheme 

generating uncertainty in the 

market 

On 3 May 2010, it was announced 

that the portion of the market 

incentive scheme that is run 

through BAFA (German Federal 

Office of Economics and Export 

Control) was being suspended 

with immediate affect. As a result, 

systems operators cancelled 

contracts, heating firms were 

confronted with compensation 

claims for lost subsidies on 

systems that had already been 

installed, and the heating, 

Support for heat pumps within 

the market incentive scheme 

has been sharply restricted. 

plumbing and ventilation sector 

saw renewable energy sales in 

the heating market plummet by 

30 to 50 percent. Looking back, 

the decision to put a freeze on 

the market incentive scheme is 

even more incomprehensible, 

seeing as every euro of subsidy 

generated more than seven euros 

in investments. 

On 7 July the German Parliament’s 

budget committee decided to lift 

the freeze on the market incentive 

scheme, yet orders placed after 

the programme was frozen are 

subject to worsened support 

conditions. The following systems 

are no longer eligible for a subsidy: 

4 Systems installed in new 

buildings 

4 Solar collector systems that are 

solely for hot water heating 

4 Air-guided pellet fired boilers and 

wood fired gasification boilers 

Heat pumps are only eligible for 

subsidy if they are able to achieve 

the following high seasonal 

performance factors: 

4 SPF of at least 3.7 for air/water 

heat pumps 

4 SPF of at least 4.3 for water/ 

water heat pumps and brine/ 

water heat pumps 

4 SPF of at least 1.3 for gas fired 

heat pumps 

In addition, specific funding 

rates and bonuses have also been 

reduced. 

In order to combat the uncertainty 

that is plaguing systems operators 

and investors, a consistent and 

reliable subsidy policy is required, 

one which can be degressive over 

time and offers the opportunity 

not only to receive subsidies for 

investments, but also allows tax 

Studies 

write-offs. The funds required for 

these incentives are more than 

made up for by increased VAT 

revenues resulting from increased 

investments, for instance. The 

ability to write off items like 

bills for tradesmen also helps to 

combat work being carried out off 

the books. 

www.isi.fraunhofer.de 

www.ifo.de 

The German government is 

called upon to implement a 

consistent and reliable subsidy 

policy in order to combat the 

uncertainty that is plaguing 

systems operators and investors. 

19

Efficiency 

Plus 

Presentation of the Energy Efficiency 

Award at Hannover Messe 2010: 

(from left to right) dena Chief 

Executive Stephan Kohler, General 

Representative of Viessmann Werke 

Manfred Greis, German Federal 

Minister of Economics Rainer 

Brüderle, Italy’s Economics Minister 

Claudio Scajola and Dr. Werner 

Schnappauf, Director of the BDI 

Federation of German Industries. 

Outstanding central heat recovery 

Viessmann wins Energy Efficiency Award 

Only a few months after winning 

the 2009 German Sustainability 

Award for Most Sustainable 

Production, Viessmann was again 

honoured for particularly efficient 

energy usage. At company 

headquarters in Allendorf, an 

innovative central heat recovery 

system was installed which 

reduces annual consumption of 

natural gas and electricity by nearly 

10 gigawatt hours. As part of an 

Energy Efficiency Initiative, the 

German Energy Agency (dena) 

together with the Federal Ministry 

of Economics and Technology, 

Deutsche Messe and DZ Bank AG 

A heat pump from Viessmann 

Group member KWT AG uses 

waste heat and cools the data 

processing centre and test benches 

(left). The pump system of the 

cooling water network in the new 

central heat recovery (right). 

20 

recognised the success of the 

project with their international 

Energy Efficiency Award. The 

award was presented by German 

Federal Minister of Economics 

Rainer Brüderle on 20 April at 

Hannover Messe. 

Energy efficiency improved 

and CO 2 emissions reduced 

What is special about the 

concept is the consolidation of 

all waste heat flows from the 

various industrial processes of 

the company, for instance from 

test benches, pressurised air 

generation and cooling of the data 

processing centre, into a common 

central system. This is where a 

medium is heated via a heat pump 

to the temperature needed by the 

heat distribution network and fed 

into the heating system. In this 

way, waste heat is used to supply 

heat at the site. 

The new central heat recovery 

system leads to annual savings of 

4 7.7 gigawatt hours of natural 

gas and 

4 1.9 gigawatt hours of electrical 

energy. 

This corresponds to a decrease in 

CO 2 emissions of 3,000 tonnes. 

Central heat recovery as 

part of the Efficiency Plus 

sustainability project 

The winning concept for central 

heat recovery is a component 

of Viessmann’s Efficiency Plus 

sustainability project, which has 

served to significantly increase the 

site’s resource efficiency. 

The complete re-organisation of 

production according to efficiency 

considerations and the deployment 

of an innovative energy concept 

including a new Energy Centre 

have made it possible to increase 

energy efficiency by 22%, expand 

the share of renewable energy to 

18% and reduce CO 2 emissions 

by one-third (12,000 tonnes). 

Consumption of fossil fuels has 

dropped by 40% (42 gigawatt 

hours), while CO 2 emissions have 

decreased by more than 30%. 

Efficiency is the most 

important resource 

To achieve a secure, cost-effective 

energy supply, all available fuel 

types whether renewable or 

fossil will be needed in the long 

range as part of a dual strategy 

of increasing efficiency and 

substitution. 

Because the limited potential of 

renewable energy means it cannot 

meet the complete demand by 

itself, enhancing energy efficiency 

will play an important role. Even 

in the long term, a transition to

In addition to the central heat 

recovery system honoured with 

the Energy Efficiency Award, the 

Energy Centre is another important 

component of the company’s 

Efficiency Plus sustainability project. 

renewable energy will only be 

possible if efficiency is enhanced 

by approximately 40%. Efficiency 

is our most important resource, 

which is why it is of such 

significance in the Viessmann 

project. 

Strong emphasis is also placed 

on sustainability when using 

renewable energy. For example, 

the company meets half of its 

biomass demand from its own 

cultivation of quick-growing wood 

on 160 hectares of agricultural 

land. The goal is to use only as 

much biomass for energy as 

can grow back in the same time 

period. A sustainable supply of 

bio energy is also facilitated by a 

biogas plant which generates heat 

and electricity from agricultural and 

landscaping waste. 

Solar heating systems and heat 

pumps use the energy of the sun 

and ambient heat to assist building 

heating and cooling. 

Efficiency Plus – 

sustainability and resource 

efficiency 

Efficiency Plus is not limited to 

energy efficiency but targets 

overall resource efficiency as 

well. The introduction of lean 

production for instance increased 

work efficiency by 10-20%. 

Considerable increases in material 

efficiency were also achieved, 

for instance the amount of 

steel needed to manufacture 

heat sources was decreased by 

one-half. Water consumption in 

technical processes was also 

reduced by half, while the rate of 

recycling was increased to 99%. 

Implementation of 

the model project 

As noted by dena Chief Executive 

Stephan Kohler during the 

presentation of the Energy 

Efficiency Award, the jury was 

impressed not only by the 

concrete increases in efficiency 

achieved but by the fact that 

Viessmann realised this project not 

The Efficiency Plus model project 

has already garnered the German 

Sustainability Award. 

at any greenfield site but 

at a facility that had existed and 

expanded for decades, under 

actual operating conditions. 

The jury also recognised the 

tremendous importance of 

Efficiency Plus as a model project, 

where the activities of the 

Viessmann Academy, including 

energy forums, training sessions 

and consultations for a broad 

range of target groups, have a 

widespread impact and motivate 

others to follow suit. 

“With the Efficiency Plus model 

project, we demonstrate in 

our own facilities what every 

company can do to protect 

Company 

All fuel types are used to supply 

company headquarters in Allendorf. 

Solar thermal systems have been 

installed on the roof of the Academy 

building for DHW generation, central 

heating backup and solar cooling. 

the environment and reduce 

energy consumption”, remarked 

Dr. Martin Viessmann. “Using 

practical examples, we show that 

technology already available on 

the market can be used to achieve 

the climate protection goals for 

2020 today. Following the German 

Sustainability Award, we are very 

pleased that our commitment to 

resource efficiency and climate 

protection has received a second 

important recognition in the 

form of the international Energy 

Efficiency Award.” 

A short rotation plantation where 

biomass is cultivated for energy use. 

21

Vitodens 300-W: 

Rated #1 by Stiftung Warentest 

“Upon testing, it was apparent 

that certain heating systems 

are simply superior.” German 

consumer protection organisation 

Stiftung Warentest compared a 

total of nine combinations of wall 

mounted gas fired condensing 

boilers and solar cylinders in 

the July issue of its magazine 

“test”. In the end, the winner was 

apparent: Vitodens 300-W with 

Vitocell 100-W solar cylinder was 

named the best heating system in 

the test with an overall rating of 

“good” (1.7). 

High efficiency heat supply 

“Converts the energy contained 

in gas very efficiently into heat”, 

praised Stiftung Warentest the 

Vitodens 300-W. As a result, the 

gas fired condensing boiler also 

garnered a score of “good” (1.8) in 

the energy efficiency category. 

The high efficiency of the Vitodens 

300-W (outputs from 3.8 to 35 

kW) is the result of the flawless 

interaction of the Inox stainless 

steel radial heat exchanger, 

MatriX gas burner and Lambda 

Pro Control combustion control 

system. In the test, the Vitodens 

300-W achieved a very good 

standard efficiency of 96% (H s ) at 

75°C input temperature and 60°C 

22 

return temperature for the heating 

water. At a system temperature 

of 40/30°C, the unit even achieves 

efficiencies up to 98% (H s ) due to 

the higher condensation rate. 

Lambda Pro Control 

The Lambda Pro Control 

combustion control unit ensures 

consistently high efficiency in the 

Vitodens 300-W despite fluctuating 

gas quality and changes in flow 

pressure drop in the ventilation 

air and flue pipes. To achieve this, 

Lambda Pro Control continuously 

monitors and controls combustion 

quality. Deviations are immediately 

and completely compensated for 

by automatic changes in the gas 

supply. 

Low emissions to the 

environment 

The testers also note the positive 

environmental characteristics of 

the Vitodens 300-W and attest to 

the device’s “particularly clean 

combustion”. The Vitodens 300-W 

in fact received a rating of “very 

good” (1.5) in this area. 

The innovative MatriX gas burner 

accounts for the low emissions 

of the Vitodens 300-W. To keep 

the cycling frequency of the 

burners low even during low 

heat consumption, the control 

system takes into account the 

temperature curve in the boiler 

during the previous burn period 

and calculates the length of the 

next idle period accordingly. This 

dynamic adjustment of idle times 

according to current heat demand 

reduces the number of burner 

starts by approximately one-third 

and correspondingly lowers fuel 

consumption and emissions. 

Ease of operation 

“Very user-friendly” – Stiftung 

Warentest also recognised the 

ease of use of the Vitodens 300- 

W, awarding it a “very good” (1.5). 

This excellent score can be 

attributed to the Vitotronic control 

unit, whose menu is logically 

structured, easy to understand, 

lighted, high-contrast and simple 

to read. Heating curves, heating 

periods and solar yields (when 

operated with a Viessmann solar 

unit) are displayed in convenient 

graphical form. All settings can be 

effortlessly changed via a scroll 

button. A help function can be 

activated at the touch of a button 

to provide contextual assistance 

for further input steps. 

“Converts the energy contained 

in gas very efficiently into heat”: 

Vitodens 300-W was named test 

winner by Stiftung Warentest with 

an overall rating of “good” (1.7). 

The Vitotronic control system 

makes programming the Vitodens 

300-W convenient and easy. 

SMART 

SMART (Self Monitoring And 

Reporting Technology), the 

diagnostic system of the Vitodens 

300-W, also contributed to the 

unit’s excellent performance in the 

area of user operation. SMART 

logs deviations from permissible 

operating conditions and directly 

reports them in plain text, to 

facilitate maintenance and service 

scheduling, prevent failures and 

reduce repair costs. 

July 2010 

Testsieger 

GUT (1,7) 

VITODENS 300-W 

Im Test: 9 Gas-Brennwertkessel 

mit Solarspeicher 

1 Testsieger 

Ausgabe 7/2010

Whether wall mounted gas fired 

condensing boilers, oil condensing 

boilers or pellet boilers; whether 

solar heating systems for DHW 

generation or central heating 

backup – the products from the 

Viessmann comprehensive 

portfolio consistently top the 

results of tests conducted by 

German consumer organisation 

Stiftung Warentest. 

Vitosol 200-F, Vitocell 100-B 

and Vitosolic 100 

In March 2008, Stiftung Warentest 

awarded the Viessmann solar 

package for DHW heating an 

overall rating of “very good”. 

They describe the solar package 

as a “relatively inexpensive, very 

high performance system with 

flat plate collectors that captures 

a considerable amount of the 

sun’s energy”. The complete 

solution tested consisted of two 

Vitosol 200-F flat plate collectors, 

the Vitocell 100-B solar cylinder 

with a volume of 300 litres and 

a Vitosolic 100 solar control unit. 

March 2008 

May 2008 

March 2009 

Products 

Stiftung Warentest: 

Viessmann products consistently finish at the top 

A total of twelve solar packages 

from various manufacturers were 

compared in the test. 

Vitoladens 300-C 

As “one of the two best oil boilers 

in the test”, the Viessmann 

Vitoladens 300-C was given an 

overall score of “good” (1.6) 

by Stiftung Warentest in May 

2008. It shared the top spot in 

the comparison of ten oil fired 

condensing boilers. The Vitoladens 

300-C even scored a “very good” 

(1.3) in the “energy efficiency in 

heating mode” category. 

Vitosol 200-F, Vitocell 340-M 

and Vitosolic 200 

The Viessmann solar package for 

combined heating backup and 

DHW generation also showed 

outstanding test performance. 

With an overall score of “good” 

(1.8), the package shared first 

place with another system 

amongst a total of 13 products 

which were compared in the 

March 2009 issue of the magazine 

“test”. Comprising six Vitosol 

200-F flat-plate collectors, a multimode 

Vitocell 340-M cylinder and 

a Vitosolic 200 solar control unit, 

the solar package was even rated 

“very good” (1.5) in the individual 

assessment of “energy efficiency 

and DHW heating convenience”. 

Vitoligno 300-P 

In May 2009, the Vitoligno 300-P 

pellet boiler outperformed the 

competition and was named test 

winner ahead of 9 other systems 

(special issue “test Spezial 

Energie”, May 2009). Energy 

efficiency was the most important 

test criterion, where the Vitoligno 

300-P clearly prevailed (score 

of 2.1). “Its annual efficiency is 

by far the highest and it offers a 

particularly efficient way of using 

wood energy”, praised the testers. 

Furthermore, the Vitoligno 

300-P proved to have the best 

environmental properties (score 

1.7): Stiftung Warentest attested 

to its clean burning, “leading to 

the lowest emissions”. 

Comprehensive portfolio 

with top-of-the-line products 

for all fuel types 

With highly efficient gas 

and oil condensing systems, 

modern wood fired boilers, heat 

pumps, solar heating systems 

and co-generation units, the 

comprehensive Viessmann range 

offers complete system solutions 

for all applications and fuel types, 

with top-of-the-line products that 

perfectly meet customers’ needs. 

Viessmann products consistently 

finish at the top of comparison tests 

conducted by Stiftung Warentest. 

May 2009 

Testsieger 

GUT (2,1) 

Holzpelletkessel 

VITOLIGNO 300-P 

Im Test: 10 Anlagen, 1 Testsieger 

test Spezial Energie 2009 

23

Air/water heat pumps from Viessmann 

Efficiently using outside air as a heat source 

Using natural sources to heat 

buildings and generate domestic 

hot water with efficient heat 

pumps significantly helps to 

conserve fossil fuels and preserve 

the environment. Of the available 

heat sources, which include earth, 

groundwater and air, outside air is 

the easiest to employ; no major 

digging or well drilling is necessary 

to use the energy it holds. 

Whether for single-family homes, 

apartment buildings, businesses 

or local heating networks – 

the comprehensive range of 

Viessmann products features 

efficient heat pumps based on 

all heat sources, with outputs of 

1.5 to 1,500 kW. They can heat 

a building year-round as the sole 

heat source or be combined with a 

boiler from the Viessmann product 

24 

range. Viessmann supplies the 

full range of related systems 

technology from a single source – 

reliable and precisely matched to 

one another. 

Vitocal 200-S: New, 

attractively priced air/water 

heat pump with split design 

Affordably priced, efficient and 

easy to install – the new Vitocal 

200-S air/water heat pump is a 

particularly attractive solution 

for making use of natural heat in 

single-family homes. 

Whether for system modernisation 

or new construction, the 

Vitocal 200-S (output 4 to 13 kW) 

is ideally suited to both 

applications. In existing heating 

systems, it provides cost-saving, 

environmentally friendly basic 

heating supply, including flow 

temperatures up to 55 °C. Only on 

especially cold winter days does 

the existing gas or oil boiler need 

to be used to cover peak demand. 

Reversible operation for 

room cooling 

In the version for new 

construction, the Vitocal 200-S 

can be installed as the sole source 

for heating rooms and generating 

DHW. Because its operation can 

be reversed, the unit can also be 

used to cool living space on hot 

summer days, thereby ensuring 

pleasant temperatures all year 

round. 

High efficiency and low 

operating costs 

The split design heat pump 

consists of an external unit and 

an internal unit connected via 

refrigerant tubes. A variable speed 

compressor in the external unit of 

the Vitocal 200-S ensures a high 

COP up to 4.6 (7°C air /35°C water 

according to DIN EN 14511) and 

high annual performance. This 

preserves the environment and 

keeps operating costs low. 

Ease of operation 

The Vitotronic control system 

already deployed in Viessmann’s 

compact heat pumps now 

also allows for convenient 

programming of the new Vitocal 

200-S. With a straightforward user 

interface, large graphics capable

display and convenient scroll 

button, it is particularly easy to set 

boiler parameters. The multipleline, 

high-contrast, backlit display 

is easy to read even in non-ideal 

lighting conditions. 

Straightforward installation 

The external unit can be placed 

freestanding on the floor or 

mounted on a flat roof or external 

wall. Suitable installation kits are 

available for mounting. 

The internal unit includes all the 

components necessary for an 

efficient transfer of heat to the 

heating system and for domestic 

hot water heating. It is supplied 

as a compact wall mounted unit, 

comparable in dimensions, colour 

and design to the Viessmann 

Vitodens gas condensing wall 

boilers. 

Vitocal 300-A and 350-A: 

New fans for low-noise 

operation 

Innovative technology makes 

the Vitocal 300-A and 350-A air/ 

water heat pumps particularly 

efficient. New fans mean the units 

are considerably less loud. When 

combined with the sound-insulated 

housing, the two heat pumps are 

extremely quiet. The Vitocal 300-A 

and 350-A can be installed either 

inside or outside the building. 

The new Viessmann Vitocal 200-S is 

an attractively priced air/water heat 

pump with split design. 

The Vitocal 200-S air/water 

heat pump in split 

design will be available as of 

September 2010. 

Vitocal 300-A 

The Vitocal 300-A is the first air/ 

water heat pump with a digital 

scroll compressor, an RCD 

(refrigerant cycle diagnostic) 

system and an electronic 

expansion valve. The modular 

function of the digital scroll 

compressor makes the heat 

pump suitable for outputs of 3 to 

9 kW. The innovative technology 

of Vitocal’s refrigerant cycle 

guarantees high coefficients 

of performance up to 3.9 (2°C 

air/35°C water according to DIN 

EN 14511), which in turn means 

low operating costs. 

Vitocal 350-A 

The Vitocal 350-A is an air/water 

heat pump with rated heat output 

of 10.6 to 18.5 kW. For buildings 

with greater heat demand, multiple 

units can be operated in cascade. 

The fluid mechanics of the radial 

fans in the Vitocal 300-A 

have been optimised to 

reduce noise even further. 

Products 

In contrast to conventional air/ 

water heat pumps, the additional 

injection of vapour (EVI cycle) in 

the Vitocal 350-A ensures that the 

output of the heat pump increases 

in the case of sinking outside 

temperatures and correspondingly 

higher flow temperatures. The 

Compliant scroll compressor, 

an electronic expansion valve 

and the RCD system guarantee 

an outstanding coefficient of 

performance of 3.5 (at 2°C air/35°C 

water, according to DIN EN 14511). 

Air/water heat pumps with 

new control units 

Starting in September, the Vitocal 

300-A and 350-A air/water heat 

pumps will come with the new, 

easy to operate Vitotronic contol 

unit. The large backlit display, the 

straightforward interface and the 

scroll button similar to that of many 

mobile phones make it particularly 

easy to change settings. 

The additional injection of 

vapour in the Vitocal 350-A air/ 

water heat pump ensures that 

the output increases when 

outside temperatures drop. 

25

Vitosol 200-T: 

New vacuum tube heat pipe collector 

Solar energy is attractive for both 

newly constructed buildings and 

modernised ones, as the sun 

provides energy at no cost. This 

energy can be effectively used 

for instance for DHW generation 

and central heating backup, not 

only reducing costs for heating 

operation and hot water generation 

but conserving the environment. 

Comprehensive product 

range with solar collectors 

for all applications 

The comprehensive Viessmann 

product portfolio with heat sources 

for all application areas and fuel 

sources also includes a broad 

range of high-quality flat plate and 

tube collectors, dual-mode DHW 

cylinders, combination and buffer 

cylinders and solar control units. 

When combined with Viessmann 

heat sources and systems 

technology, efficient system 

solutions can be achieved for DHW 

heating, central heating backup 

and solar cooling of single-family 

homes, apartment buildings and 

businesses/industry. 

26 

High operational safety 

The new Vitosol 200-T vacuum 

tube collector combines the 

advantages of the heat pipe 

principle, i.e. high operational 

safety in case of stagnation and 

easy tube replacement even when 

the system is filled, with the 

benefits of its predecessor, namely 

the ability to be installed in any 

position. 

In the heat pipe tubes of the 

Vitosol 200-T, an evaporator fluid 

evaporates when exposed to solar 

radiation. The fluid releases this 

heat to the heat transfer medium 

of the solar heating system via a 

heat exchanger in the tube header, 

condensing in the process and 

subsequently flowing back to the 

tubes. If no heat is exchanged 

(stagnation) for instance during 

summer holidays, the evaporator 

fluid can no longer condense when 

exposed to sunlight, remains in 

gas form and releases hardly any 

heat to the solar heating system. 

This means that the heat transfer 

medium is not impacted thermally, 

ensuring the operational safety of 

the system. 

Installation in any position 

Unlike conventional collectors with 

heat pipe tubes, the new Vitosol 

200-T does not require a minimum 

angle of inclination. Its heat pipe is 

constructed in such a manner that 

even in a nearly flat position, the 

evaporator fluid can freely circulate 

and transfer its heat to the solar 

medium. This means that the new 

Vitosol 200-T can be installed in 

any position – flat or at an angle on 

roofs and vertical on walls. 

High efficiency 

The absorber plates in the tubes 

of the Vitosol 200-T come with a 

highly selective coating and are 

extremely efficient at capturing 

the sun’s energy. The permanent 

vacuum tubes help the collector 

3 

2 

1 

5 

4 

The new Vitosol 200-T combines 

the advantages of the heat pipe 

principle, i.e. high operational 

safety and easy tube installation, 

with the benefits of a direct-flow 

collector, namely the ability to 

be installed in any position. 

to deliver outstanding efficiency; it 

can transform even small amounts 

of incident solar radiation into 

usable heat. The new vacuum 

tube collector from Viessmann is 

thus highly suitable for generating 

DHW, backing up central heating 

and producing process heat. 

Simple installation through 

dry connection of pipes 

The tubes of the Vitosol 200-T can 

be rotated to achieve optimum 

sun alignment and thus maximise 

solar yield. Moreover, the “dry” 

connection of the heat pipe 

tubes facilitates quick, affordable 

installation and replacement of 

individual tubes without having to 

drain the whole system. 

The new Vitosol 200-T comes in 

versions with two or three square 

metres of absorber area. 

Vitosol 200-T 

1 Highly effective insulation 

2 “Dry” connection; no direct 

contact between the heat transfer 

medium and the solar medium 

3 Duotec double tube 

heat exchanger 

4 Easy tube replacement 

and rotation 

5 Absorber with highly 

selective coating 

6 High-quality, High quality, low low-iron iron glass 

7 Heat pipe 

7 

6

Search quickly and conveniently: 

The new comprehensive product range navigator 

The new navigator for the 

comprehensive Viessmann 

product range provides users with 

a quick, convenient overview of 

the complete portfolio of products 

and services including all data and 

information necessary for daily 

work. All Viessmann products 

and services are included on a 

single DVD. 

Consulting and planning 

are even easier with the 

new DVD 

With an intuitive user interface, it 

is quick and easy to find what one 

is looking for. An overview of the 

main features and improvements: 

4 The complete Viessmann 

product range, clearly organised 

and accessible. 

4 All product information 

organised according to energy 

sources and application 

areas, including price lists, 

documentation, drawings, 

multimedia and selected 

software (Datanorm, 

calculation/planning/help 

programs). 

4 Clear structure with 

straightforward, self-explanatory 

user interface. 

4 Obtain the information you 

need quickly, easily and reliably. 

4 Multiple search modes 

supported. 

Products / New media 

4 Navigation enhanced by 

illustrations – promotes further 

exploration of the Viessmann 

world. 

4 With integrated animations and 

simulations, ideal for instance 

for training or consulting. 

For further information, please 

contact a Viessmann sales 

consultant. 

The new product range navigator 

features straightforward, 

intuitive navigation. Energy 

symbols quickly guide users to 

the information they need. 

Various simulations and animations 

facilitate customer consultations. 

27

Viessmann at Expo 2010 in Shanghai 

Heat for the China Pavilion 

and the VIP hotel at the World Expo 

The World Expo opened in May 

2010 celebrates Shanghai’s status 

as a metropolis of the future and 

a hub of science and research. 

The world exhibition taking place 

this year through 31 October 

occupies a space of more than 

five square kilometres on both 

sides of the Huangpu river. China 

had set itself the goal of hosting 

the largest world expo of all times 

with 70 million visitors and at 

least 240 exhibitors. The latter 

ambitious goal has already been 

met: more than 240 countries 

and international organisations 

including the Red Cross and the 

United Nations are taking part. 

28 

Although most visitors come 

from China, the share of foreign 

attendees is nonetheless 5%, 

which corresponds to 3.5 million 

people. 

“The Crown of the East” 

Built at a cost of EUR 220 million, 

the 69-m-high China Pavilion is 

also referred to as “the Crown 

of the East”. It is three to four 

times higher than most of 

the other pavilions. Architect 

He Jingtang constructed the 

building in a traditional style 

using overlapping wood shingles. 

The roof is held together by 56 

brackets symbolising the various 

nationalities in China. 

Well into the 19th century, China 

understood itself neither as a 

nation nor as a sovereignty, rather 

as a cultural area comprising the 

potential of the entire world, or 

“all under the heaven” as they 

say there. All peoples of the world 

were to find their place in this 

territory, forming concentric rings 

around the heart of civilisation, 

which China considered itself to 

be. 

The 160,000 square metres of 

the Chinese Pavilion showcase 

the cultural history of the country 

as well as the visions with which 

China hopes to master the future 

challenges of urban development. 

Sustainability aspects played an 

important role in designing the 

building. Efficient building services 

engineering makes the pavilion a 

green landmark at the Expo. To 

achieve this, the planners chose 

Viessmann technology to provide 

heating via three industrial Vitomax 

200-LW boilers with outputs 

of 3.2 MW each. High quality 

composite thermal insulation and 

a fully water-cooled rear reversing 

chamber ensure extremely low 

radiation losses, which enables the 

low pressure hot water boiler to 

achieve a very high efficiency of 

up to 92%. 

InterContinental Hotel for 

VIP guests 

The Expo Village was built in the 

Pudong district specifically for the 

World Expo. The new residential 

area is home to both exhibition 

employees and visitors. At the

same time it is a key element in 

the World Expo and serves as a 

model of modern, ground-breaking 

living in densely populated urban 

areas. 

Three mid-range hotels and twenty 

apartment complexes with a 

total of 7,000 beds for visitors 

and event delegates are situated in 

an area of 264,000 square metres. 

The 28-storey InterContinental 

Hotel is located in the middle 

of the area. This exclusive 5-star 

residence with 400 rooms, 42 

suites and 554 beds houses VIP 

guests of the expo. Three 

Vitomax 200-LW units with 2.8 MW 

output each provide efficient, 

environmentally friendly heat for 

the VIP InterContinental Hotel. 

The VIP Expo Hotel (left) is heated 

with efficient, environmentally 

friendly Vitomax industrial boilers. 

Viessmann Shanghai Representative Office 

Viessmann has been active in the 

vibrant metropolis of Shanghai for 

eleven years. Today an exclusive 

representative office with 15 

employees serves partners in 

the cities and greater areas of 

Shanghai, Suzhou and Zhejiang 

– a territory of nearly 80 million 

inhabitants. In addition to a 

product exhibition, modern training 

and seminar space is available 

from Viessmann Academy. Trade 

The team from Viessmann China 

Ltd. Shanghai Representative 

Office is dedicated to purchasing 

raw materials and developing 

products for the Chinese market. 

partners may also use the facilities 

to familiarise their customers with 

Viessmann products. 

In 2007, Viessmann established 

its own company, the 

Viessmann China Ltd. Shanghai 

Practical applications 

The China Pavilion is the 

architectural highlight of 

Expo 2010 in Shanghai. 

Representative Office, for the 

purpose of purchasing raw 

materials and developing products 

for the Chinese market. Ten 

employees work here under the 

management of Udo von Klot- 

Heydenfeldt. 

29

These winter sports fans had 

never been so close to their 

idols (right). Luge legend Georg 

Hackl also didn’t want to miss 

out on the chance to take part. 

Following outstanding success in Vancouver: 

Viessmann Team athletes meet with their fans 

The sportsmen and sportswomen 

on the Viessmann Team collected 

14 medals (6 gold, 7 silver and 3 

bronze) during the 2010 Winter 

Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. If 

the company had been included in 

the national medals table, it would 

30 

have been in sixth place – in front 

of such winter sports powers as 

Russia, Sweden and Switzerland. 

In fact, Viessmann accounted 

for nearly 50 percent of the 

medals won by the German team. 

Practically the entire Viessmann 

Team – athletes, coaches and highranking 

association representatives 

– were guests at a summer event 

in the Ederbergland region held by 

the company to say “Thank You” 

for their outstanding performance 

in the past season, and at the 

Biathlon, luge and cross-country skiing 

Long-time members of the Viessmann Team 

end their successful careers 

Martina 

Beck 

In 2003, Martina Beck, still known 

by her maiden name Glagow, 

became the first German biathlete 

to be named overall winner of the 

Biathlon World Cup. The same year 

also saw her win the World Championship 

in pursuit, and she won 

three silver medals at the Olympic 

Games in Turin in 2006. By taking 

bronze in the relay in Vancouver 

she has now put a successful end 

to her impressive career. 

Patric Leitner and 

Alexander Resch 

Patric Leitner and Alexander 

Resch also decided to put an end 

to their competitive winter sports 

careers after the Olympic Games 

in Vancouver. With 34 World 

Cup victories, they are the sole 

record holders, with six World Cup 

overall winner titles, four World 

Championships and one Olympic 

Championship. Leitner/Resch 

closed out their successful careers 

with a Bronze medal in Vancouver. 

René 

Sommerfeldt 

One more athlete from the 

Viessmann Team decided to call 

it quits after a successful career: 

René Sommerfeldt. In the 2003/04 

season his sensational victory 

made him the first German to win 

the overall World Cup in crosscountry 

skiing. He won bronze in 

the relay in Salt Lake City, and four 

years later he took silver with the 

German quartet at the Olympic 

Games in Turin. 

Olympic Games in particular. 

The athletes of the Viessmann 

Team who ended their successful 

careers at the end of last season 

were given bicycles from the 

Viessmann Sport Shop as a parting 

gift. 

The winter sports stars signed 

autographs on the terrace of 

the “Die Sonne Frankenberg” 

hotel, and numerous fans took 

advantage of the opportunity 

to get autographs from such 

stars as Olympic luge winners 

Tatjana Hüfner and Felix Loch, 

the biathletes Arnd Peiffer, Simon 

Schempp and Alexander Wolf and 

ski jumpers Pascal Bodmer and 

Andreas Wank. In spite of the 

mass of people, the winter sports 

stars made sure they also had time 

to chat with their fans. 

With Martina Beck, Patric Leitner/ 

Alexander Resch and René Sommerfeldt, 

four successful members 

of the Viessmann Team ended their 

careers at the end of last season.

Summer 2010 Sport Shop catalogue: 

The perfect equipment for any outdoor activity 

Summer, sun and holiday – that is 

the time when outdoor activities 

are most fun, and when nature’s 

beauty can be enjoyed to the full. 

To ensure that you are perfectly 

equipped for any situation, the 

new Summer 2010 Sport Shop 

catalogue offers a wide range of 

selected products for the greatest 

time of the year – with timeless 

style and outstanding quality for 

every budget. 

Giant Halfway 2 folding bike 

There’s no need to reinvent the 

bicycle – but sometimes it doesn’t 

hurt: the “Halfway 2” folding 

bicycle from Giant, the world’s 

largest bicycle manufacturer, 

provides mobility anywhere 

with its seven speed derailleur. 

Regardless of whether the plan 

is for an excursion into the great 

outdoors or to head to the heart 

of the city, the bike can be folded 

to a small size easily and placed 

into its own carrying bag. It can 

also be carried in even the tiniest 

cars, and overflowing busses and 

trains are no problem whatsoever. 

The Halfway 2 looks good once 

it has been unfolded as well, for 

its 20 inch wheels, high-quality 

aluminium rims and extraordinary 

shape combine to create a 

very modern design. Optional 

mudguards offer a clean solution 

for riding through mud and rain. 

Garmin personal training 

watch 

The perfect training partner for 

your wrist: the Forerunner 305 

from Garmin is absolutely essential 

for anyone training in unfamiliar 

territory who does not want to 

lose sight of their destination. The 

GPS navigation system records 

the time, speed, route and height 

above sea level, and the highprecision 

antenna offers excellent 

reception even in heavily wooded 

areas. No matter where training 

is to take place, the Forerunner 

305 will take the athlete securely 

to their destination and back 

again. Just press the button to 

start recording, and training can 

begin. The product comes with a 

rugged ANT wireless heart rate 

monitor with chest strap and a 

The Forerunner 305 from Garmin – a 

training partner you can count on. 

Sport / Sport Shop 

particularly high-performance 

battery. A pedometer which can 

be purchased separately makes it 

possible to determine the distance 

travelled, speed and calorie burn 

with precision. Once at home, the 

Forerunner 305 can be plugged 

in and recharged, and the saved 

training data accessed using 

Garmin Training Center® software. 

The new Summer 2010 Sport 

Shop catalogue is available 

on the Viessmann website at 

www.viessmann.com. 

The “Halfway 2” folding bike from 

Giant delivers mobility – anytime 

and anywhere. 

31

Here comes the sun … 

Graphics depicting the sun and 

solar energy have a long tradition at 

Viessmann. 

The sun is often used as a 

symbol and as a graphic element, 

something that is the result of the 

affection in which it is held, as well 

as the range of design possibilities 

to which it lends itself. It is also 

due in no small part to the ‘feelgood 

factor’ – after all, practically 

everyone associates the sun 

with joie de vivre and a feeling of 

wellbeing. 

Over the years and decades, new 

graphics have been developed 

time and again for Viessmann’s 

printed materials, with yellow and 

orange depictions – often against 

a blue sky – naturally being used 

most often. The design is generally 

based on the principles 

of ‘radiation’ and ‘rotation’. 

In addition, the sun has always 

been a favourite motif of 

photographers, and photographs 

of the sun can also be found in 

brochures and other information 

materials from Viessmann. 

32 

Three generations of brochure 

cover pages with sun graphics 

Classics 

Graphic examples from the visual 

development of depictions of the 

sun.

aktuell 1/2010 - Viessmann

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