With €17.3 million from the Innovation Fund, ScaleUp will construct a 20 MW underground thermal energy storage system in Vienna, storing excess summer heat for use in winter. This 40,000 m³ vertical storage tank enhances district heating flexibility, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and cutting CO₂ emissions by 81,000 tonnes over its first ten years of operation. The project promotes cost-efficient urban heating decarbonisation, making renewable energy more reliable year-round. The Innovation Fund is 100% funded by the EU Emissions Trading System.

- Beneficiaries
Coordinators: Wien Energie Gmbh
- Project Location
Austria
- EU funding
€17.4 million
- Funding source
Explore EU innovative projects awarded the STEP Seal. View projects’ details, funding status, and connect with promoters via the interactive dashboard.
Other STEP stories on cleantech

The project focuses on building a new production line for the next-generation cylindrical battery known as the 46 series, designed specifically for powering electric vehicles (EVs) and is expected to start operating in the third quarter of 2028.

The AGATHE project involves expanding Verkor's battery factory in Dunkirk, France, doubling its production capacity from 8 GWh to 16 GWh. This expansion incorporates cutting-edge technologies, including automation and artificial intelligence, to make manufacturing more efficient and sustainable.
FiBrane is a groundbreaking method for efficiently transforming seawater into ultrapure water (UPW) needed for offshore green hydrogen production.