{"id":832,"date":"2026-10-02T09:01:28","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T09:01:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heatpumpingtechnologies.org\/project59\/?post_type=case_studies&p=832"},"modified":"2026-10-02T09:01:28","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T09:01:28","slug":"drying-of-seed-maize-and-pumpkin-seeds-alwera-austria-heat-pumps","status":"publish","type":"case_studies","link":"https:\/\/heatpumpingtechnologies.org\/project59\/case-studies\/drying-of-seed-maize-and-pumpkin-seeds-alwera-austria-heat-pumps\/","title":{"rendered":"Drying of seed maize and pumpkin seeds, ALWERA, Austria"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

ALWERA AG<\/a>, an Austrian agricultural company headquartered in Styria and specializing in the production, processing, and marketing of agricultural products – including seed corn, oil pumpkins, and Styrian scarlet runner beans – has fundamentally redesigned the heat and cooling supply at its Wollsdorf production site as part of its \u201cEnergiewende\u201d initiative.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

The project was supported under the Austrian environmental funding scheme ‘Innerbetriebliche Energiezentrale – Zentrale Waerme- und Kaelteversorgung fuer Trocknungsanlagen’ and was recognized at the Energy Globe STYRIA AWARD 2024.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Use & Integration of Heat pumps<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

Cascaded heat pumps installed by Milteco have replaced oil- and gas-fired heat generation at ALWERA\u2019s Wollsdorf site, supplying renewable process and space heating through a central hot-water system. The heat is used primarily for drying seed maize and pumpkin seeds, while the cooling generated simultaneously is utilized in tank rooms and cold-storage facilities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

The system is integrated into an internal heating and cooling network serving the drying plants, production halls, offices and storage areas across the site. With a reported heating capacity of 4.8 MW, a cooling capacity of 2.6 MW and an electrical connection capacity of 2.2 MW, the installation provides both heat and cooling from a single integrated energy system.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

The heat pumps operate on 100% renewable electricity. As part of ALWERA\u2019s wider energy-transition programme, photovoltaic capacity at the Wollsdorf site has also been expanded, further increasing the share of locally generated renewable energy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

Figure: Energy concept implemented at the Wollsdorf site (Sources: ALWERA\/Estyria, Steirerkraft, Energy Globe STYRIA, Ascon3<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Benefit<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

The new concept is reported to save ~4.4 GWh of natural gas and more than 30 MWh of fuel oil per year, corresponding to ~1,100 t CO2 per year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Key figures<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
Dryer type<\/td>Stationary flat-bed dryers for pumpkin seeds; separate batch-type seed-maize drying installation<\/td><\/tr>
Drying products<\/td>Seed maize, pumpkin seeds<\/td><\/tr>
Operation<\/td>Seasonal, predominantly batch operation<\/td><\/tr>
Drying medium<\/td>Air<\/td><\/tr>
Product conveying<\/td>Batch filling onto perforated drying floor<\/td><\/tr>
Heating medium temperature<\/td>Hot-water system (60-75 \u00b0C)<\/td><\/tr>
Heat sources<\/td>Cascaded heat-pump system replacing oil\/gas heat generation<\/td><\/tr>
Heat pump capacity<\/td>4.8 MW heating; 2.6 MW cooling; 2.2 MW electrical connection<\/td><\/tr>
Flow temperature heat pump<\/td>75-90 \u00b0C<\/td><\/tr>
Refrigerant<\/td>R1234ze(E)<\/td><\/tr>
Drying time<\/td>Several hours (pumpkin seeds) to 1-3 days (maize)<\/td><\/tr>
Start of operation<\/td>2024 (commissioning: Aug. 2024; operating in 2025)<\/td><\/tr>
Capacity<\/td>n.a.<\/td><\/tr>
Dimensions<\/td>n.a.<\/td><\/tr>
Outlet condition drying medium<\/td>n.a.<\/td><\/tr>
Direct heat recovery<\/td>n.a.<\/td><\/tr>
Heat source for heat pump<\/td>Not publicly specified; cold side serves tank rooms and cold stores<\/td><\/tr>
Challenges<\/td>Retrofit at existing site; seasonal drying loads; integration of heat and cooling demand<\/td><\/tr>
Tracked parameters<\/td>n.a.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

More information<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

This information was provided by AEE INTEC<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ALWERA AG, an Austrian agricultural company headquartered in Styria and specializing in the production, processing, and marketing of agricultural products…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","filters":[],"markets":[14],"applications":[7],"class_list":["post-832","case_studies","type-case_studies","status-publish","hentry","markets-austria","applications-industry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/heatpumpingtechnologies.org\/project59\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/case_studies\/832","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/heatpumpingtechnologies.org\/project59\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/case_studies"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/heatpumpingtechnologies.org\/project59\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/case_studies"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heatpumpingtechnologies.org\/project59\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/34"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/heatpumpingtechnologies.org\/project59\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/case_studies\/832\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":838,"href":"https:\/\/heatpumpingtechnologies.org\/project59\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/case_studies\/832\/revisions\/838"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/heatpumpingtechnologies.org\/project59\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=832"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"filters","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heatpumpingtechnologies.org\/project59\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/filters?post=832"},{"taxonomy":"markets","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heatpumpingtechnologies.org\/project59\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/markets?post=832"},{"taxonomy":"applications","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/heatpumpingtechnologies.org\/project59\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/applications?post=832"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}