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The boiler at the waste incineration plant in Kiel, the MVK, was heated up for the very first time 40 years ago. Today, with an efficiency level of 71 %, it is one of the world’s most efficient incineration plants of its kind. Here, the plant takes non-recyclable waste produced in Kiel and the neighbouring districts and uses it to generate electricity and heat for the local inhabitants and industrial businesses. These activities are also making an important contribution to preventing climate change.
The plant’s 40 years of business was officially celebrated in September – in the presence of the Environment Minister for the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, Robert Habeck, and Norbert Rethmann, honorary chairman of the supervisory board of the Rethmann Group, as well as many other guests from the worlds of politics and business. During the event, city councillor, Wolfgang Röttgers, pointed out that the plant was an excellent example of how the very most could be made of waste. The MVK, he said, was providing around 20 % of the district heat needed by the City of Kiel.
Despite being 40 years old, MVK Kiel is one of the most efficient plants of its kind thanks to the investments that have been made over the years.
Rüdiger Karschau, a long-standing member of the city council and chairman of MVK’s supervisory board, remarked that the MVK had been well accepted by the local inhabitants before adding: “at least it is not on their list of bugbears”.
There was also another reason why managing director, Frank Ehlers, and his many guests could be proud of the high efficiency levels of the plant, which is owned by the City of Kiel (51 %) and REMONDIS (49 %). A perfect example of a successful public private partnership, the MVK helps to take the pressure off the public purse year on year and, as a result, off all the local residents. It was Schleswig-Holstein’s Environment Minister Robert Habeck, who emphasised the “considerable contribution” that the MVK was making towards Germany’s efforts to switch from fossil fuels to renewables. During his speech, he underlined the importance of sending waste for materials recycling so that their raw materials could be recovered and reused. At the same time, he praised the fact that the plant and its state-of-the-art technology were acting as a role model for others: “If waste has to be incinerated, then let’s hope it’s being done at a plant like the one here in Kiel.”
MVK’s event was attended by a number of high-profile guests (from left to right): Sabine Schirdewahn, head of Städtischer Eigenbetrieb Beteiligungen (SEK), MVK CEO, Frank Ehlers, Wolfgang Steen, Managing Director of REMONDIS Region North, Robert Habeck, Environment Minister of Schleswig-Holstein, Norbert Rethmann, Honorary Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the RETHMANN Group, Rüdiger Karschau, Chairman of MVK’s Supervisory Board