GEKAL-KVA Buchs
GEKAL-KVA Buchs is a Swiss municipal association that operates a waste-to-energy facility in Aargau, serving 100+ municipalities and 350,000+ residents by incinerating 140,000+ tonnes of waste annually to produce electricity, district heating, and hydrogen.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1969
- HeadquartersBuchs, Switzerland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What GEKAL-KVA Buchs does
GEKAL-KVA Buchs is a public-sector municipal association (Gemeindeverband für Kehrichtbeseitigung Region Aarau-Lenzburg) founded in 1969 that operates the KVA Buchs waste-to-energy facility in Buchs, Aargau, Switzerland. The facility processes approximately 140,000-145,000 tonnes of municipal and industrial solid waste annually across two parallel incineration lines operating at 800-1000°C with comprehensive flue gas treatment (electrostatic precipitator, two-stage wet scrubber, DeNOx SCR system). It serves over 100 member municipalities in Aargau representing more than 350,000 residents, plus industrial customers and cross-border waste from Landkreis Waldshut (Germany).
The business operates on an integrated waste-to-energy model. Combustion heat generates steam in two 36 MW thermal boilers (40 bar, 400°C), which drives an 11 MW turbogenerator for electricity production (66,000-70,000 MWh annually, sold to CKW, Alpiq and other utilities) and feeds district heating through FEWAG (60% GEKAL-owned) to industrial and commercial customers including Mittelland Molkerei, Delica AG, Mibelle AG, Eniwa AG, and Migros operations. A pilot hydrogen electrolyzer commissioned end of 2023 participates in the Swissgrid secondary control reserve market. Revenue is generated from three transaction-fee streams: waste incineration fees (CHF 75/t for municipalities, CHF 150/t for industry), electricity sales, and district heating sales, totaling approximately CHF 25M annually.
The asset base is capital-intensive with total equity of CHF 179.9 million, 94.6-95.6% operational availability, and a pre-financing reserve of CHF 100 million supporting the KVA 2035+ strategic replacement program (estimated CHF 200-300M). The Energy Cockpit management software optimizes production scheduling across steam, electricity, district heating, and hydrogen. The facility is self-sufficient in electricity and replaces approximately 14.4 million liters of heating oil annually. Leadership is undergoing planned succession for the Geschäftsleiter and Betriebsleiter positions, with revised governance regulations taking effect 1 January 2026.
GEKAL-KVA Buchs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GEKAL-KVA Buchs
- Legal name
- Gemeindeverband für Kehrichtbeseitigung Region Aarau-Lenzburg (GEKAL)
- Website
- https://kva-buchs.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1969
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- GEKAL-KVA Buchs is a Swiss municipal association that operates a waste-to-energy facility in Aargau, serving 100+ municipalities and 350,000+ residents by incinerating 140,000+ tonnes of waste annually to produce electricity, district heating, and hydrogen.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
GEKAL-KVA Buchs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Waste-to-Energy Services
- NAICS
- Biomass Electric Power Generation (221117), Steam and Air-Conditioning Supply (221330), Solid Waste Combustors and Incinerators (562213)
- SIC
- Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991), Refuse Systems (4953)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Waste-to-Energy CHP (Municipal/Industrial Waste Incineration) (EUACAKAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- District Energy & Community CHP (District Heating/Cooling Networks) (EUACAKAH)
Keywords
Where GEKAL-KVA Buchs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Buchs
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
GEKAL-KVA Buchs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Waste Incineration Fees (Verbrennungsgebühren): Primary revenue stream from charging member municipalities, industrial customers, and private waste producers for thermal waste treatment. Pricing is tiered: CHF 75/t for municipalities, CHF 150/t for industry, with volume-based minimum fees.
- Electricity Sales: Sale of generated electricity to public grid. Approximately 66,000-70,000 MWh annually sold to CKW, Alpiq, and other utilities. Revenue highly dependent on market prices (CHF 110-120/MWh range).
- District Heating Sales: Sale of steam and hot water to Fernwärme Wynenfeld AG (FEWAG) for regional district heating network. Approximately 122,000-144,000 MWh annually sold at CHF 25-27/MWh.
- Hydrogen Production: Emerging revenue stream from hydrogen production via electrolysis for participation in Swissgrid secondary control reserve market, contributing to grid stability.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Annual | Municipal member rate |
| Unit Pricing | Annual | Industrial and commercial waste |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Private small deliveries |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
GEKAL-KVA Buchs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GEKAL-KVA Buchs operates a municipal waste-to-energy incineration facility in Buchs, Aargau, processing approximately 140,000 tonnes per year of municipal and industrial solid waste across two combustion lines. The thermal treatment generates steam that drives turbines to produce electricity and feeds a regional district heating network, delivering energy recovery services to 100+ member municipalities, industrial customers, and private waste producers.
Product overview
KVA Buchs operates as a waste-to-energy facility (Kehrichtverbrennungsanlage) managed by GEKAL (Gemeindeverband für Kehrichtbeseitigung Region Aarau-Lenzburg). The facility provides integrated waste management services through two incineration lines with a combined capacity of 140,000 tonnes annually. The core offering consists of thermal waste incineration converting municipal and industrial waste into valuable energy, producing electricity via steam turbine (Stromproduktion) and district heating through the Fernwärme network (Fernwärme). Supporting infrastructure includes the Heisswasserzentrale for hot water production, the Energy Cockpit for energy optimization management, and a pilot hydrogen plant for grid stabilization. The facility also processes slag and combustion residues for material recovery and recycling.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Waste Incineration (Kehrichtverbrennung)
- Electricity Generation (Stromproduktion)
- District Heating (Fernwärme)
- Slag and Residue Recycling (Schlackenaufbereitung)
- Hydrogen Production and Grid Balancing
- Private Small-Delivery Waste Disposal
Quantifiable outcome
- Converts 140,000+ tonnes of waste annually into energy
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use GEKAL-KVA Buchs
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
GEKAL-KVA Buchs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
GEKAL-KVA Buchs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Fernwärme Wynenfeld AG (FEWAG)coreFEWAG is 60% owned by GEKAL and was founded in 1982 to distribute district heating from KVA Buchs. Operates the regional heating network serving industrial and commercial customers including Migros operations, Mittelland Molkerei, and Kantonsspital Aarau. Network expanding toward Aarau and Entfelden.
- Linie-eminorExternal company responsible for booking, organizing, and conducting plant tours since April 2024. Manages visitor scheduling and tour operations using specialized booking platform.
- Chiresa AGcoreProcesses electrofilter dust from KVA Buchs at facility in Full-Reuenthal, Germany. Performs acidic washing (FLUWA) to remove heavy metals for zinc recovery. Primary disposal pathway for filter dust.
- GAOF (Gemeindeverband Abfallbeseitigung Oberes Fricktal)coreMunicipal association of 23 municipalities with approximately 47,000 residents that participate in GEKAL waste management services. Contributes approximately 7,000 tonnes of household waste annually.
- Landkreis WaldshutminorGerman district neighboring Switzerland is a contract waste supplier. Delivered approximately 8,300-8,800 tonnes annually. Staatsvertrag (state treaty) renewed for ongoing cooperation. Receives slag disposal capacity at Lachengraben in exchange.
- BDO AGminorExternal audit firm serving as controlling authority (Kontrollstelle) for annual financial statement audits.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
GEKAL-KVA Buchs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ERZ Entsorgung + Recycling Zürich: Operator of the Hagenholz and Josefstrasse waste-to-energy plants serving the city of Zürich. Same Swiss public-sector WtE model with combined heat and power generation and district heating distribution, making it the most direct comparable to GEKAL-KVA Buchs.
- KEZO (Hinwil): Zweckverband Kehrichtverwertung Zürcher Oberland operates a Swiss WtE plant in Hinwil with two grate lines. Same inter-municipal association governance and energy-recovery business model as KVA Buchs.
- KVA Thurgau: Waste incineration facility in Weinfelden, Thurgau, also organized as a municipal association. Comparable size, public-sector ownership, and energy-recovery focus with electricity and heat output.
- Renergia (Perlen): Waste-to-energy plant in Perlen, Lucerne, operated as an inter-municipal association. Same Swiss WtE + district heating model serving Central Swiss municipalities, directly comparable in governance and operating profile.
- KVA Linth (Niederurnen): Swiss waste-to-energy plant serving the Linth region, also structured as a municipal Zweckverband. Highly comparable scale, two-line grate incineration, and CHP with district heating.
- Limeco (Dietikon): Swiss municipal WtE operator in the Limmattal region operating a modern grate-incineration facility with district heating supply to surrounding municipalities. Highly comparable in scale, public-ownership structure, and CHP focus.
Others
- Martin GmbH (Martin Grate Technology): Supplier of the reverse-acting grate combustion system used at KVA Buchs. Adjacent ecosystem participant whose technology directly defines GEKAL's core incineration capability and reliability.
- Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI): Leading European EPC contractor and technology supplier for waste-to-energy plants, including grate furnaces and flue-gas treatment. Adjacent technology provider whose offerings shape the WtE competitive landscape in Switzerland.
Broad incumbents
- Remondis (Germany): One of Europe's largest privately-owned waste and recycling companies with significant waste-to-energy capacity, including cross-border waste handling relevant to GEKAL's Landkreis Waldshut relationship.
- Suez (Waste & Recycling Europe): Global waste management incumbent operating multiple waste-to-energy facilities across Europe. Provides broader-incumbent context for valuation and benchmarking, though operates at very different scale and under private-sector ownership.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
GEKAL-KVA Buchs social profiles
Digital presenceGEKAL-KVA Buchs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GEKAL-KVA Buchs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
GEKAL-KVA Buchs subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
GEKAL-KVA Buchs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GEKAL-KVA Buchs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about GEKAL-KVA Buchs
What does GEKAL-KVA Buchs do?
GEKAL-KVA Buchs operates a municipal waste-to-energy incineration facility in Buchs, Aargau, processing approximately 140,000 tonnes per year of municipal and industrial solid waste across two combustion lines. The thermal treatment generates steam that drives turbines to produce electricity and feeds a regional district heating network, delivering energy recovery services to 100+ member municipalities, industrial customers, and private waste producers.
Is GEKAL-KVA Buchs a public or private company?
GEKAL-KVA Buchs is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was GEKAL-KVA Buchs founded?
GEKAL-KVA Buchs was founded in 1969. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is GEKAL-KVA Buchs based?
GEKAL-KVA Buchs is headquartered in Buchs, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does GEKAL-KVA Buchs make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Waste Incineration Fees (Verbrennungsgebühren) is the primary driver. The others are electricity Sales, district Heating Sales and hydrogen Production.
Who are GEKAL-KVA Buchs's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ERZ Entsorgung + Recycling Zürich, KEZO (Hinwil), KVA Thurgau, Renergia (Perlen), KVA Linth (Niederurnen) and Limeco (Dietikon). Others are Martin GmbH (Martin Grate Technology) and Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI). Broad incumbents are Remondis (Germany) and Suez (Waste & Recycling Europe).
Does GEKAL-KVA Buchs have an API?
No public API is recorded for GEKAL-KVA Buchs.
What industry is GEKAL-KVA Buchs in?
GEKAL-KVA Buchs's product category is Waste-to-Energy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUACAKAC, Waste-to-Energy CHP (Municipal/Industrial Waste Incineration), with a secondary code of EUACAKAH, District Energy & Community CHP (District Heating/Cooling Networks). Its NAICS code is 221117 and its SIC code is 4991.