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World’s largest heat pump being built in Mannheim, Germany

29 Oct 2025
MVV Energie is building the world’s largest river-source heat pump at GKM with STRABAG, investing around €200 million in climate-friendly district heating for up to 40,000 households in the Rhine-Neckar region.
Pictured from left to right: Thomas Büchner, Managing Director of STRABAG Umwelttechnik GmbH; Dr. Gabriël Clemens, CEO of MVV; Christian Sadleder, Member of the Executive Board of STRABAG AG Austria, Head of Energy Infrastructure; Thomas Hörtinger, CTO of GKM; Dr. Hansjörg Roll, CTO of MVV. © MVV
© MVV

Mannheim, 29 October 2025 – World’s largest heat pump being built in Mannheim

Mannheim-based energy company MVV Energie AG (MVV) is driving forward the transformation of the energy system in the Rhine-Neckar region. The company has commissioned STRABAG Umwelttechnik GmbH to construct a second river-source heat pump at the site of Grosskraftwerk Mannheim AG (GKM). The works are part of a project representing a total investment of up to € 200 million. Following an EU-wide tender, the project is receiving funding from the federal funding scheme for efficient heating networks (BEW). The general planning and preliminary design were undertaken by INP Deutschland GmbH, which also took part in the tendering process. The planned installation will deliver a thermal output of up to 165 megawatts, making it, by current standards, the largest heat pump of its kind in the world.

  • With this new river-source heat pump, we are investing in the energy future of Mannheim and the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region. It marks another milestone on our path to achieving full decarbonisation of the district heating supply in Mannheim and the surrounding area by 2030.

    Dr. Gabriël Clemens
    Chief Executive Officer of MVV

The large-scale heat pump will comprise two individual modules, each with an output of 82.5 megawatts. They will use Rhine water as a heat source, generating district heat with temperatures of up to 130 °C by means of the natural refrigerant isobutane. Construction work is scheduled to begin in mid-2026.

  • Thanks to energy from thermal waste treatment, our biomass combined heat and power plant, and the first river-source heat pump, we are already able to cover nearly 50 percent of our district heating needs from renewable sources. The new river-source heat pump is scheduled to go into operation in winter 2028, providing climate-friendly heat for up to another 40,000 households. To achieve full decarbonisation, we are also planning an additional river-source heat pump and the use of the region’s geothermal potential.

    Dr. Hansjörg Roll
    Chief Technical Officer of MVV

  • The Mannheim contract strengthens our position as a partner for future-oriented, climate-neutral water and energy infrastructure. We are proud to be working with MVV to make an active contribution to the decarbonisation of urban heating and energy supply. Our combination of technical expertise and sustainable innovation makes STRABAG a reliable partner for the energy transition.

    Stefan Kratochwill
    CEO of STRABAG SE

Drawing on the expertise of various Group companies, STRABAG brings comprehensive design-and-build capability in plant engineering to the project. The innovative technology is based on the HEAT PUMP ALLIANCE® concept – a strategic partnership between STRABAG and Atlas Copco Energas in the field of industrial and high-performance heat pumps. The core components of the installation are Atlas Copco’s proven turbo compressors, which have been successfully deployed in more than 7,000 applications worldwide over the past 40 years. Last year, STRABAG received a similar contract in Gothenburg, Sweden, to replace two older heat pump modules with a new 50 MW high-performance unit.

  • Building the second river-source heat pump at the Grosskraftwerk Mannheim site is a clear commitment to maintaining the location’s role as an energy hub. GKM is part of the transformation towards a climate-friendly and future-proof energy supply for the region. Making use of existing infrastructure for new energy technologies and our technical project management are prime examples of sustainable joint planning.

    Thomas Hörtinger
    Chief Technical Officer at GKM

MVV is also planning to build a hydrogen-ready district heating post-heater at the GKM site. This unit will be used to heat the district heating water to the required network temperatures during the heating season. Both installations will be operated by GKM, as is already the case for the first river-source heat pump. Construction of both projects is scheduled to begin next year.