GfA - Gemeinsames Kommunalunternehmen für Abfallwirtschaft A. d. ö. R.

What GfA - Gemeinsames Kommunalunternehmen für Abfallwirtschaft A. d. ö. R. does

GfA – Gemeinsames Kommunalunternehmen für Abfallwirtschaft A. d. ö. R. is a Bavarian municipal public-law utility (Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts) jointly owned by the districts of Fürstenfeldbruck (63%) and Dachau (37%), headquartered in Olching. Its statutory mandate covers the disposal and treatment of residual waste generated in both counties, and it operates the Abfallheizkraftwerk (AHKW) Geiselbullach waste-to-energy combined-heat-and-power plant, the Jedenhofen landfill, and a KlimaPlus-certified district heating network. The plant runs two firing lines optimized for the regional waste stream and is the largest energy producer in both districts, generating approximately 47,000 MWh of electricity per year — enough for around 16,000 households — and producing 200,000 MWh of recoverable heat, of which only about 15% is currently used.

The business model combines three revenue streams: gate fees on inbound waste from municipal collection and commercial customers, EEG feed-in compensation on electricity fed into the grid, and district heating tariffs from commercial and residential heat offtakers. Commercial heat customers include the REWE Group bakery (Glockenbäckerei), Engelbert Strauss, a pharmaceutical logistics operator, and food-production sites, while household waste fees provide a broad, stable volume base across the two counties. The geothermal exploration permit secured in 2023 and the Amperland Thermalwärme GmbH joint venture being formed in 2025 indicate a planned extension of the heat business into baseload renewable thermal energy.

GfA operates under the leadership of CEO Thomas Buranj with a workforce of roughly 70 to 90 employees, supported by training partnerships such as the AZUBEE center opened in 2021. Beyond core waste-to-energy, the company is developing deep geothermal energy and continues to expand its district heating network through vehicles such as Fernwärme Bergkirchen GmbH. As a public-law entity owned by two districts, the company operates on a cost-covering rather than profit-maximizing basis, with capital expenditure aligned to the long-term municipal waste and energy strategies of its shareholders.

Name

GfA - Gemeinsames Kommunalunternehmen für Abfallwirtschaft A. d. ö. R.

Legal name

Gemeinsames Kommunalunternehmen für Abfallwirtschaft Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts der Landkreise Fürstenfeldbruck und Dachau

Website

https://gfa-online.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

GfA is a Bavarian municipal public-law utility jointly owned by the districts of Dachau and Fürstenfeldbruck that operates the Geiselbullach waste-to-energy plant, Jedenhofen landfill, and district heating network, generating 47,000 MWh/year of electricity and developing geothermal energy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Waste-to-Energy and District Heating

NAICS

Solid Waste Combustors and Incinerators (562213), Biomass Electric Power Generation (221117), Steam and Air-Conditioning Supply (221330), Electric Power Generation (22111)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991), Steam & Air-Conditioning Supply (4961), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Waste-to-Energy (WtE) Combustion Facilities (BPALACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Waste-to-Energy CHP & District Heating Integration (Heat offtake systems) (EUAAAKAH), Industrial & Commercial Waste Incineration (Non-hazardous) (EUAAAKAC), Waste-to-Energy CHP (Municipal/Industrial Waste Incineration) (EUACAKAC), Waste-to-Energy (Incineration/RDF) & Landfill Gas Recovery (IMAIAFAK)

Keywords

• Waste-to-energy services
• District heating supply
• Municipal waste management
• Landfill disposal operations
• Geothermal heat generation

Headquarters

HQ city

Olching

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Waste disposal fees: GfA charges waste disposal fees for household and commercial waste delivered to its Geiselbullach waste-to-energy plant and Jedenhofen landfill. Fees are levied via official fee notices from the counties. For commercial waste, direct invoicing by GfA applies where the service competes with private providers.
2. Electricity generation and feed-in: GfA generates approximately 47,000 MWh per year of climate-neutral electricity, fed into regional grids. This represents the predominant share of CO2-neutral electricity generated in the district of Fürstenfeldbruck.
3. District heating (Fernwärme) sales: GfA supplies district heating to residential neighbourhoods and commercial/industrial operations in Olching and Bergkirchen. Heating distribution in Olching is managed by local municipal utilities (Stadtwerke), while the Fernwärme Bergkirchen GmbH handles distribution in the A8 commercial areas. Heating is certified with primary energy factor zero.
4. Commercial waste disposal charges: Commercial waste to energy recovery is invoiced directly by GfA (as opposed to county fee notices) since it competes with private providers. Waste is weighed on arrival; small quantities are charged at flat rates, quantities above threshold are charged by actual weight.
5. Waste disposal fees from Jedenhofen landfill: Non-combustible commercial waste such as Eternit and KMF from Landkreis Dachau is accepted at the Jedenhofen (DK II) landfill. Fees are charged per tonne or via flat-rate pricing depending on vehicle weight and delivery quantity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

GfA operates an integrated municipal waste management and energy utility: it thermally processes non-recyclable household and commercial waste at the Abfallheizkraftwerk Geiselbullach combined heat and power plant, generates climate-neutral electricity fed into regional grids, and distributes certified zero-primary-energy-factor district heating to residential and commercial customers. It also operates the Jedenhofen DK II landfill for non-combustible residues (e.g., asbestos-containing materials, KMF) and is developing a hydrothermal geothermal heating project. All offerings combine waste disposal (Daseinsvorsorge) with energy recovery and circular-economy resource recovery from combustion residues.

Product overview

GfA operates as a municipal waste management and energy utility offering an integrated portfolio centered on waste-to-energy conversion and district heating. The core offerings include the Abfallheizkraftwerk Geiselbullach (AHKW) waste incineration plant with combined heat and power technology, which feeds KlimaPlus Strom (climate-neutral electricity) and KlimaPlus Fernwärme (district heating) into regional grids. Supporting services encompass household and commercial waste disposal, landfill operations at Jedenhofen, and the emerging Amperland Thermalwärme geothermal energy initiative. All offerings share the common thread of circular economy principles—eliminating hazardous substances, recovering materials from slag (iron, aluminum, copper), and delivering climate-neutral energy without primary raw material consumption.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Abfallheizkraftwerk Geiselbullach (AHKW) — Waste-to-Energy CHP Plant Waste-to-energy combined heat and power plant that thermally processes combustible household and commercial waste via two firing lines with 7 tonnes-per-hour waste throughput each, producing 48 tonnes of steam per hour that drives electricity generation and district heating. Serves the public waste disposal and energy supply needs of Landkreise Fürstenfeldbruck and Dachau.
• KlimaPlus Strom (Climate-Neutral Electricity) Climate-neutral electricity generated from waste combustion, with annual output of 47,000 MWh — sufficient to supply approximately 16,000 households. Represents the predominant share of CO2-neutral electricity in the district of Fürstenfeldbruck. Fed into regional grids via municipal utility partners.
• KlimaPlus Fernwärme (District Heating) Certified climate-neutral district heating with primary energy factor of zero, supplied to residential and commercial customers in Olching and Bergkirchen. Distributed via Stadtwerke Olching, Stadtwerke Fürstenfeldbruck, and Fernwärme Bergkirchen GmbH. Comparable in annual cost to natural gas and cheaper than heating oil, pellets, or groundwater heat pumps; price-stable because decoupled from fossil fuel markets.
• Abfallentsorgung für Privathaushalte (Household Waste Disposal) Waste disposal services for private households in Landkreise Dachau and Fürstenfeldbruck, including fortnightly collection of residual waste via the grey bin, direct delivery of combustible waste from household clearances and renovations to the Geiselbullach plant, and bulky waste (Sperrmüll) disposal. Fees are levied via the county fee notice system.
• Gewerbeabfallverwertung (Commercial Waste Disposal and Recovery) Energetic recovery of combustible commercial waste at the Geiselbullach plant and disposal of non-combustible hazardous materials (asbestos-containing Eternit, mineral fiber insulation / KMF) at the Jedenhofen DK II landfill. Direct billing by GfA with weight- and vehicle-class-based unit pricing; industry-friendly opening hours; Electronic Invoice Dispatch Consent required prior to acceptance.
• Geothermie-Projekt Amperland Thermalwärme (Geothermal Heating Project) Hydrothermal geothermal heating project targeting the Bavarian Malm aquifer (Upper Jurassic limestone) at approximately 2,000 metres depth with estimated water temperatures of around 70°C. Closed-loop system with extraction and injection boreholes, heat exchanger, and return of cooled water. Developed under the 'Geiselbullach' exploration permit held by GfA on behalf of the two counties.
• Reststoffdeponie Jedenhofen (Jedenhofen DK II Landfill) DK II classified landfill for non-combustible waste disposal, handling materials such as asbestos-containing Eternit and mineral fiber insulation (KMF) that cannot be recycled. Open Tuesday 08:00–12:00 and 12:30–15:00, plus second Saturday in May, July, and October. Unit and flat-rate pricing by vehicle weight. EC card payment accepted on site.

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Amperland Thermalwärme GmbH (planned)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2025A dedicated company is being established to develop the geothermal project 'Amperland Thermalwärme' at the Geiselbullach site. GfA, on behalf of the counties of Dachau and Fürstenfeldbruck, holds the 'Geiselbullach' exploration permit for geothermal energy. An information event for citizens was held on 10 April 2025.
• AmperVerband (Amper Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 September 2021Joint vocational training initiative 'AZUBEE' established by GfA and AmperVerband to address skilled labour shortages in the Munich commuter belt. The modern training workshop is co-located and serves both organisations. Technical training covers industrial mechanics, electronics for operations and automation technology, and mechatronics. Opening ceremony on 16 September 2021 attended by Bundestag member Katrin Staffler.
• Fernwärme Bergkirchen GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture company established by GfA, Stadtwerke Fürstenfeldbruck, and municipality of Bergkirchen (majority shareholder at 51%). Manages the construction and operation of district heating and future climate-neutral mobility networks in the Bergkirchen A8 commercial zone. GfA holds a 24.5% stake.
• Stadtwerke Fürstenfeldbruck (Fürstenfeldbruck Municipal Utilities)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStadtwerke Fürstenfeldbruck distributes GfA district heating and purchases all GfA-generated electricity. Also joint partner in Fernwärme Bergkirchen GmbH. Jointly operates Pedelec charging stations with GfA.
• Hotel Gasthof Groß, BergkirchenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHost site for a Pedelec (e-bike) charging station operated by GfA and Stadtwerke FFB. The establishment offers free charging for up to eight e-bike batteries as a customer service. Part of a regional network of charging stations between Dachau and the Ammersee.
• FFB-Schau Olching (trade fair)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerGfA participates as an exhibitor at the FFB-Schau Olching regional trade fair (held at the Olching Volksfestplatz). Showcases waste disposal services, renewable energy supply, and district heating solutions. The fair attracted 34,000 visitors across 11 halls and 250 exhibitors.
• Bundesverband Geothermie e.V. (German Geothermal Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGfA is a member of the German Geothermal Association, which advocates for the expansion of renewable geothermal technology since 1991, bringing together industry, science, planning, and energy supply sector members.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• PreZero (Schwarz Group): Environmental services division of the Schwarz Group with significant WtE and waste management capacity across Europe. Comparable to GfA on the commercial waste-to-energy recovery side, including thermal treatment and circular material recovery, but commercially owned.

Broad incumbents

• MVV Energie: Mannheim-headquartered municipal utility operating waste-to-energy plants, district heating networks, and renewable generation across Germany. Closely comparable business model to GfA in combining WtE combustion with district heating and CHP, though at significantly larger scale and across multiple federal states.
• REMONDIS: Largest private waste management company in Germany with multiple WtE facilities and material recovery operations. Comparable to GfA's commercial waste disposal, residue processing (iron/aluminium/copper recovery), and landfill operations, though at national scale and as a private operator.
• Stadtwerke München (SWM): Munich municipal utility operating one of Europe's largest WtE plants (Müllverwertungsanlage München) and an extensive district heating network. Highly comparable to GfA in public-law ownership, integrated waste-to-energy-and-heat business model, and Bavarian/Upper Bavaria operating region.
• Fernwärme Wien (Wien Energie): Austria's largest district heating provider, sourcing material share from waste-to-energy and biomass CHP. Comparable to GfA's heat distribution model and KlimaPlus Fernwärme product, though at metropolitan scale covering all of Vienna.

Direct peers

• KMB Karlsruhe - Müllheizkraftwerk: Karlsruhe municipal waste incineration plant with CHP and district heating offtake operated under a public-law structure. Directly comparable to GfA in mid-sized German WtE operations, integrated heat-power generation, and serving a regional municipal utility portfolio.
• EEW Energy from Waste: One of Europe's largest operators of waste-to-energy incineration plants, currently operating 17 facilities across Germany and neighbouring countries. Directly comparable to GfA's Geiselbullach AHKW in core thermal waste treatment, electricity generation, and steam/heat offtake, but at materially larger scale.
• Zweckverband Müllverwertungsanlage (ZMA) / Müllheizkraftwerk Bamberg: Inter-municipal Zweckverband operating a waste incineration plant with combined heat and power and district heating in Bamberg, Bavaria. Structurally near-identical to GfA — two-county public-law ownership, WtE combustion with CHP, district heating supply, and KlimaPlus-style renewable energy certification.

Others

• Bundesverband Wärme (BDEW / AGFW): German district heating industry association and standard-setter that certifies primary energy factors (e.g., for KlimaPlus Fernwärme). Not a competitor but a relevant ecosystem/institutional peer — GfA's certification pathway and heat-pricing comparability anchor to AGFW-published frameworks.

Regional players

• Abfallwirtschaftsgesellschaft mbH (AWS) / similar Bavarian Zweckverbände: Bavarian and southern German inter-municipal waste management associations operating WtE plants and district heating networks. Highly structurally comparable to GfA — public-law Zweckverbände in similar mid-sized German cities with integrated disposal and heat/CHP operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gfa---gemeinsames-kommunalunternehmen-f%C3%BCr-abfallwirtschaft-a.-d.-%C3%B6.-r.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GfA - Gemeinsames Kommunalunternehmen für Abfallwirtschaft A. d. ö. R.