Varese district heating: doors open to the power plant (cross-border guide)

Context

In brief

• Open day at the plant on September 19
• Mandatory reservations via the Eventbrite platform
• District heating plant active in Varese since 1992

Key facts

• What: Extraordinary opening of the district heating plant
• When: Saturday, September 19 from 9 am all day long
• Where: Plant at via Ottorino Rossi 19 in Varese
• Who: Gruppo Acinque and Acinque Tecnologie
• Amount: 63 GWh of thermal energy delivered in 2025
• Capacity: Network of 16 kilometers serving about 12,000 equivalent apartments

The appointment with Impianti Aperti returns to the province of Varese, the series of free guided tours to the facilities of the Acinque Group which takes place throughout the year across all territories served by the multi-utility and which in the last edition involved about 700 citizens. On Saturday, September 19, starting from 9 am all day long, the doors of the Varese district heating plant, located at via Ottorino Rossi 19, will open. This is the beating heart of the network that runs through the capital city, an energy system active in the city since 1992. To participate in the tour, reservations are required via the Eventbrite.it platform. The initiative allows citizens to get a close-up look at the technological and professional heritage of the group.

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Operational details

The Varese district heating system boasts a history of over thirty years, having been operational in the city for more than three decades. The plant supplies heat to over 150 users, which include not only residential condominiums but also commercial businesses, industrial activities, and public buildings located in the south-east area of Varese. Among the main beneficiaries of this energy service are the University of Insubria campus, the Fondazione Molina, the Municipality, and the Varese hospital. The distribution network, entirely managed by Acinque Tecnologie, branches out into the urban fabric for a total length of 16 kilometers, guaranteeing thermal coverage for approximately 12,000 equivalent apartments distributed throughout the city area.

Integration with renewable sources and cogeneration

The Varese system is powered by heat produced by the cogeneration plant in Via Ottorino Rossi 19. Through cogeneration engines, the plant is able to produce electricity and simultaneously recover the thermal energy released during the thermodynamic process. This combined production allows for a significant reduction in fuel for power supply, achieved by recovering energy that would otherwise be dispersed into the atmosphere as waste. Thanks to this cogeneration process, during 2025 the plant supplied 63 GWh of thermal energy.

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Key points

The schedule of guided tours promoted by the Acinque Group continues even after the inaugural event in Varese, involving other important district heating plants in the region. Those interested in participating in subsequent scheduled events must take into account the dates established for the individual facilities and proceed with reservations, which generally open a few weeks before the event takes place through the dedicated electronic channels.

Calendar of upcoming plant visits

The autumn programme of Open Plants includes two further stages in September and October. Saturday, September 26, the extraordinary opening concerns the district heating plant of Busto Arsizio. Subsequently, on Saturday 10 October, the doors open for citizens wishing to visit the Monza Nord district heating plant. Each appointment follows the same purposes of dissemination and environmental awareness established by the multiutility to promote knowledge of territorial infrastructures.

For more details on opening hours and to complete the online registration procedures through the Eventbrite.it platform, citizens can refer to the official communications issued by the Acinque Group. Access to the facilities requires compliance with the organisational instructions provided by the operators present on site during the guided tour days.

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Source: varesenoi.it