Szegedi Vízmű Zrt. has begun the energy modernization of the Szeged Wastewater Treatment Plant. As part of the development, a new, modern Jenbacher-type biogas-powered gas engine will start operating at the unit concerned. The investment, realized from nearly HUF 150 million of municipal funds, aims to increase the efficiency of green energy production at the site, as well as to ensure reliable and sustainable energy supply for the purification processes.
On March 2, the multi-ton gas engine arriving from Austria was lifted off the transport vehicle with the help of a crane and placed into the fermenter plant's machine house. At the site briefing, Deputy Mayor Tamás Kovács and CEO Zoltán Istókovics presented the renewal of the equipment fleet. As part of the program, the engine operating at the site since 2007 was retired, replaced by a more modern model after 13 years of continuous, which means more than135,000 operating hours.
The basis of the technological modernization is circular energy management, the central element of which is the new equipment. During wastewater treatment, the resulting sludge is converted into biogas in special digesters. This biogas is transformed into electricity by the gas engine operating at the site, and the heat generated during the process is utilized for heating the plant’s buildings and technological units.
Since 2008, Szegedi Vízmű has been producing electricity from biogas, and production has steadily increased over recent years: by 2025, it exceeded 6 million kWh. In addition, 13 solar-powered small plants operate at the sites, thanks to which the plant's annual purchased electricity demand has decreased from the previous 10 million kWh to 2.6 million kWh.
The current gas engine replacement is an integral part of the strategy whereby, at its conclusion, the Szeged Wastewater Treatment Plant will be operated entirely with self-produced energy, thus allowing Szeged to join the continent's most advanced facilities. Currently, only Vienna and Görlitz in Germany can boast a similarly high degree of energy independence in Europe.
After the installation of the equipment, test operation will begin, and the professional staff will be prepared for specific operational tasks. Continuous, grid-based electricity production is expected to start at the end of March, directly supporting the city's climate protection goals.