We use the steam we generate by incinerating residual waste to heat the water with which 160,000 homes plus companies and hospitals are heated.

Incinerating residual waste enables us to generate steam which we use not only to generate electricity but also to heat water. The heat is distributed to numerous homes, offices, hospitals and swimming pools. All these customers need, and depend on us for, a continuous supply of heat. Fulfilling this need demands considerable flexibility from AVR.

AVR is one of the largest sustainable district heat producers in the Netherlands. In 2020 we supplied over 5.4 PJ of heat to district heat networks in Rotterdam and the Arnhem region. This enormous volume of heat is distributed to the around 160,000 homes connected to one of the Vattenfall, Eneco or WBR heat networks.

Most of the heat AVR supplies is sustainable heat and residual industrial heat. The factory that turns paper pulp into TopCrete® and energy supplies 100% sustainable heat. Since 2018 the biomass energy plant in Rozenburg has also been connected to the heat network with which we also supply 100% sustainable heat.

By using this heat AVR prevents an annual CO₂ emission from household gas consumption of over 324 kilotons* a year. If one solar panel saves around 100kg of CO₂ per year, the saving due to AVR’s heat supply equals the savings of over three million solar panels. Three million solar panels would cover more than 280 football pitches such as De Kuip, or the entire Gelredome.

*Conversion factor according to the European EpE and the Dutch Waste Companies Association: 62.8 kg CO₂/GJ for heat supply.