The project aimed at the reconstruction of the existing heat source and its pipelines in the town Slavičín, so that it was both ecological and economical.
The company BTH Slavičín s.r.o. is established, 100% owned and managed by the Slavičín municipality to operate the housing stock and supply heat to buildings from 33 boiler rooms using natural gas and one boiler room using both natural gas and biomass (wood chips).
The project aimed at:
- the replacement of heat pipelines in the Vlára housing estate,
- the abolition of the gas boiler room,
- the connection of the heat distribution to the central boiler room supplemented by another biomass source and a natural gas cogeneration unit.
A new control system for the entire system and the boiler room was installed to optimize the long-term cost of heat for the population, promote local employment and energy security, improve air quality, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, reduce CO2 emissions, achieve heat savings and use local raw materials (in the form of wood chips) to produce heat.
The central boiler room (K3) was extended by another biomass boiler with an output of 1 MW and one co-generation unit with an output of 178 kW for natural gas, which can produce electricity and heat in island mode (the current state was a biomass boiler 1.6 MW and 2 cogeneration unit 2x160 kWe).
Then, another housing estate was connected to the system in the area, where the old gas boiler room was abolished.
Four-pipe heat distribution system was replaced by a two-pipe distribution and 16 object transfer stations were replaced, including their regulation and boiler room regulation.
Resources needed
Total project costs = CZK 35,889,000 (app. 1.435.000 EUR)
OP Environment subsidy = CZK 12,561,150 (app. 503.000 EUR)
Evidence of success
• Energy savings were realized in the form of reducing losses in external distribution and thanks to decentralization of hot water preparation. By using local wood chips and selling electricity, the price of heat has hardly changed in the last 10 year
• The system supplies app. 54,000 GJ / year, the annual heat supply from biomass is 36,533.13 GJ
• Average annual energy savings: 163.66 MWh
• Annual cost avings: CZK 3,133,220 (app. 120.000 EUR)
• Annual CO2 emission savings: 706.89 tons
Difficulties encountered
The municipality faced the demands of property owners to disconnect from the central heating system. The company needed to resolve how to optimize the price of heat and satisfy all customers with upgading the current infrastructure.
Potential for learning or transfer
The implemented variant takes into account not only economical and ecological aspects, but also social impacts on the population. The chosen variant ensured an acceptable price of heat in the best possible way for all customers in the long run.
Other inspiring results include
• Stability of heat prices for the population
• Diversification of local sources of heat and electricity supporting energy self-sufficiency
• Reduction of fossil fuel consumption and its replacement for RES
• Support of local employment
• Long-term economic sustainability of the heat source even with decreasing heat consumption due to thermal insulation of buildings
• long-term stabilization of the price of heat,
• strengthening the energy self-sufficiency of the city,
• ensuring the reliability of heat supply,
• positive impact on the climate
Tags: Biomass, Energy efficiency, Heating, Operational programme, Renewable energy
