Energy Bunker

A former flak bunker was converted into an energy bunker, the Energiebunker, as part of IBAIBA Internationale Bauausstellung Hamburg. By intelligently combining different energy sources, it supplies the surrounding Reiherstieg district with heat and also feeds renewable energy into Hamburg’s electricity grid. Completed in 2013, it became the symbol of the “Renewable Wilhelmsburg” Climate Protection Concept.

The former flak bunker was built in 1943. It offered protection against air raids, while its flak towers also made it part of the German war machine. In 1947, the building was completely destroyed by a targeted internal detonation, making further use impossible for over 60 years. Only the outer envelope with up to three-metre-thick walls remained nearly undamaged.

Today, it is used to generate energy from a variety of different sources: solar energy, biomethane, wood chips and waste heat from an adjacent industrial company. The heart of the project is a large thermal storage facility, built inside the bunker. The energy bunker supplies roughly 3,000 households with heat and roughly 1,000 households with electricity, reducing their carbon footprint by 95 percent. As a local power station, it is also an example of a decentralised energy policy that creates local work and income. In addition, it makes a highly visible contribution on the way to a renewable energy supply for the Elbe islands.

A small exhibition documents the history of the bunker and the former residents of the Reiherstieg district. The Café vju with a terrace at a height of 30 metres offers a unique view over Hamburg and the port to the Harburg mountains. The concept is unique worldwide.