Unterbreizbach is a 33.6 MW gas power plant in Thuringia, Germany. It is operated by K+S AG. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 38k homes (estimated). It ranks #430 of 1,442 Germany power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1965, it is around 61 years old — an older, legacy facility. Its annual emissions of 105,709 t CO₂/yr (EU ETS verified (EUTL 2023)) are equivalent to about 25k cars driven for a year. In context, gas supplies about 16.5% of Germany's electricity; the national grid averages 330 gCO₂/kWh (59.1% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1006113.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Capacity provenance
The public capacity above is the current source-record value. A 2026 tracker candidate lists 20 MW for Unterbreizbach power station, but it is not used as the public primary value until scope is verified (unit vs operating vs installed/project total).
Data provenance
Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.
capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 33.6 MW, Unterbreizbach is below the median gas plant in Germany (52.9 MW). Technically it is described as Steam. Gas plants burn natural gas either in open-cycle turbines for fast peaking, or in combined-cycle units that recover exhaust heat in an HRSG to reach roughly 55–62% efficiency — the cleanest-burning fossil option.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
105,709 t CO₂/yr — in everyday terms
This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:
Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; emissions per EU ETS verified (EUTL 2023) (measured for US EPA/EU ETS, modelled for Climate TRACE).
Key facts
- Share of Germany gas capacity
- less than 0.1% of 37,245 MW across 241 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 11 of 221 dated gas plants in Germany are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest gas plants in Germany
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by K+S AG.
Local climate & thermal context
This gas plant burns natural gas in a turbine — often in a combined-cycle setup — to generate electricity. It sits in a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 50.8°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
Heating degree-days here run 50% above the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.
Climate heat-demand index: 80/100 — this site sits in the top third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
A gas turbine here also runs ~0% below its ISO (15°C) rating at this annual mean (typical CCGT curve, estimate).
Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.
Site climate & environmental severity
This site sits in a mild atmospheric environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C2 — Low), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.
Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.
How it compares & nearby plants
The #150 largest gas power plant of 241 in Germany by capacity.
Germany has 241 gas power plants in this dataset, together about 37,245 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Hattorf · Gas · 121 MW · Thuringia
- Dietlas Werke · Solar · 4.9 MW · Thuringia
- MVA Heringen power station · Biomass · 64 MW · Hesse
- Wintershall · Gas · 112 MW · Hesse
- HKW Bad Salzungen · Gas · 9.7 MW · Thuringia
- Gerstungen Solar Power Plant · Solar · 3.8 MW · Thuringia
Location
Coordinates 50.8132, 9.9775 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Unterbreizbach?
Unterbreizbach is a 33.6 MW gas power plant in Thuringia, Germany, commissioned in 1965.
Who operates Unterbreizbach?
Unterbreizbach is operated by K+S AG.
How much CO₂ does Unterbreizbach emit?
Unterbreizbach has measured emissions of about 105,709 tonnes of CO₂ per year (EU ETS verified (EUTL 2023)).