FCC

Herrenknecht Rig Supports Lake Heat Project

2026-06-08

A Herrenknecht HDD rig has supported a pilot project in Rolle, Switzerland, to supply heat using water from Lake Geneva. The project will serve MorgesLac, a new neighbourhood near the lake, through a district heating network using lake water as the main energy source, supported by geothermal energy and natural gas.

The machine, named Kurt by Marty Bauleistungen AG, installed a 380-metre DN900 PE pipe with a pulling force of 300 tonnes. The pipe will draw lake water from a depth of 45 metres into the heating and cooling system.

Lake water at 6–8°C will pass through a heat exchanger, producing 45°C heating water and 65°C drinking water through a two-stage distribution system. Heat pumps will supply 90 per cent of thermal energy, while a gas boiler will provide the remaining 10 per cent during colder periods, helping reduce CO2 emissions.

If successful, EneRolle plans to expand the system across Rolle.