The geothermally heated greenhouse project in Neudau-Burgau is entering its next phase: Frutura, Austria’s leading company in sustainable fruit and vegetable production, has now been selected as the operator for the entire facility. The first vegetable plants will be grown in 2027 and brought to market in the first half of 2027.
After an intensive search for an operator, the choice fell on DOL Group GmbH, which also owns Frutura Obst & Gemüse Kompetenzzentrum GmbH. The company has extensive expertise in the operation of geothermally heated greenhouses and is a pioneer in the field of sustainable food production. The DOL Group will lease the entire 18-hectare facility and start growing fruit and vegetables in the newly created greenhouses in 2027. With the DOL Group, a reliable partner with regional roots and many years of industry experience has been brought on board. “We are delighted to be able to implement this important future-oriented project together. The use of geothermal energy as an ideal energy source ensures that our environment and the available resources are protected. In this way, sustainable food production and economic development go hand in hand in the best possible way,” said Manfred Hohensinner and Katrin Hohensinner-Häupl, managing directors of the DOL Group.
The large-scale project, which was developed by Alexander Kottulinsky (Kotax Farm & Forestry) in collaboration with the Supernova Group, involves a total investment of 92 million euros. The DOL Group is also a shareholder in the project company. Kottulinsky, as the landowner, is providing the land on which the greenhouse project will be built. The Supernova Group has already successfully realized the Neudau photovoltaic park with him – one of the largest solar power harvest areas in Austria.
18 hectares of cultivation area, 250 jobs, and 2,900 meters deep
The project will be implemented in two stages: The first construction phase covers 10 hectares and is scheduled for completion in early 2027. The second expansion stage, covering a further 8 hectares, will follow by 2028. The aim is to enable year-round, sustainable fruit and vegetable production through the use of renewable energy from geothermal boreholes up to 2,900 meters deep, thereby also helping to close existing supply gaps in Austria.
The idea for the project was born around three years ago on the initiative of Mayor Wolfgang Dolesch and Regional Development East Styria as part of a study on the use of geothermal potential. The mayor of Neudau, who initiated the economic use of geothermal energy, was quickly able to get his counterpart Gregor Löffler from Burgau on board with the project. Since the geothermal potential is located in the area of both municipalities, close and coordinated cooperation between Neudau and Burgau was crucial. “This project shows what is possible when municipalities, business, and agriculture pull together. It is a great opportunity for our region—both ecologically and economically—and will create up to 250 new jobs when fully developed,” Dolesch and Löffler emphasize in unison. Both mayors also expect the project to attract new residents to both municipalities. In addition to creating new jobs and enhancing the economic location, the sustainable use of geothermal energy will also enable the municipalities of Neudau, Burgau, and possibly Stegersbach (supraregional) to be supplied with geothermal energy. All related plans have been approved by federal and state authorities and are to be implemented by market leader RED Drilling in compliance with the latest technical standards.
