Archive for Renewable energy generation
RES PUBLICA Project [UE Project]
Posted by: | CommentsThe RES PUBLICA project was initiated from the need for a local sustainable process towards a more effective use of energy Renewable Energy Source (RES) and a rational use of energy Rational Use of Energy (RUE). The main idea is to create synergies at the local level between policy makers, citizens and market actors through the implementation of Local Agenda 21. Therefore, the project contributes to produce bottom-up intelligent-energy strategies at the local level in different EU countries and to create a network at the EU level for the exchange of best practices. The partnership is made of strong public administrations from 4 different countries (Italy, Germany, Hungary and Spain) with experience in the field and relevant contacts in their territories. The main activities consist of the creation in each partner’s area, of a local Energy Forum that will involve all relevant stakeholders and lead to the production of a local Sustainable Energy programme focused on RES and RUE and including suggestions for the updating of local planning tools (such as mobility plans, building codes etc.).
This project was the first in the UK to retrofit ground source heat pumps to a group of existing social housing homes, completed in July 2004. Fourteen bungalows were each fitted with Powergen ‘HeatPlant’ heat pumps connected to vertical ground loops, providing affordable space heating (via radiator systems) and hot water with low carbon emissions. The project was carried out by Penwith Housing Association working in partnership with GeoScience (a UK national leader in GSHP technology which has now transferred its heat pump business to EarthEnergy Ltd), the utility company Powergen, the local authority Penwith District Council, and the Cornwall Sustainable Energy Partnership. The aim of the project was to demonstrate that ground source heat pumps could provide affordable space and water heating in existing homes in a rural area where there was no availability of mains gas. The project was funded by the Clear Skies programme, Penwith District Council and Penwith Housing Association. The success of the project has demonstrated that GSHP systems can work very well in this context. It has helped to stimulate the use of this renewable energy technology by a growing number of social housing providers in the UK.
RESTART (Renewable Energy Strategies and Technology Applications for Regenerating Towns) is a targeted demonstration project, promoted by the European Commission and coordinated by RESET (Renewable Energy Strategies for European Towns) in conjunction with A.M. Barcelona, Glasgow, Grand Lyon, Turin, Rotterdam, Copenhagen, Porto and South Dublin.
The demonstration project involved the different players of such complex urban projects: city officers, promoters, professionals, local associations, technology manufactures, experts, realising through this cooperation 8 large scale building programmes in the 8 participating cities. The equivalent of more than 2,500 dwellings and two important research and cultural centres were built or rehabilitated with use of various renewable energy technologies and sustainable design concepts.
The exemplary projects take into account the following criteria, which have provided a homogeneous background to all City-Projects:
Each city has selected a site for the demonstration, generally located in a downtown area (areas to be re-converted to different functions, former industrial sites, etc.) where a regeneration project was starting, with new comprehensive rules;
The area of influence of each City-Project is large enough to allow a strong impact on the decisional mechanisms of the city and a high visibility for the inhabitants;
Mix of functions – housing, tertiary and commercial, institutional, recreational buildings, high-tech industrial settlements – are comprised in RESTART, representing the complexity of urban situations;
Emphasis is given to cross-demonstration activities and to a new way of promoting urban demonstration projects, with a multi-actor and multi-sector approach.
Integrated Biogas Plant in Sundsvall, Sweden
Posted by: | CommentsA joint, large-scale composting facility will deliver sustainable handling of sludge and organic waste, as well as produce significant qualities of biogas that can be upgraded into vehicle gas. What was previously regarded as a problem is now to be seen as a raw material from which is possible to produce a number of products that can be attractive for the market and also generate environmental benefits as for example: production of biogas, forest fertilizer, the use of surplus heat produced during the summer months at the Korsta Combined power and heating plant to be utilised in the waste treatment facility for drying the sludge and the granulation process.
At the same time this initiative also helps other interested parties (SMEs, restaurants..) and small municipalities to deliver organic waste in a proper way, raising environmental consciousness and promoting an environmentally sound society,
District Heat Battery in Turku
Posted by: | CommentsOld gas storage had been unused for 30 years when Turku Energy Ltd. (company owned by the City of Turku) bought it and transformed it into district heating battery. This heat battery is a 6000 m3 container where heated water can be stored during low consumption period and used during consumption peaks. It has been calculated that this method saves 2000 tonnes of oil annually.
In addition, by giving to the old gas storage a new function, it has been possible to save and renovate a historically valuable building which otherwise would have been destroyed as in that moment it very deteriorated and badly contaminated by toxic matters.
Biogas Syd – a network for biogas in Skåne
Posted by: | CommentsBiogas is a renewable form of energy in gas form. It descends from organic material which is formed under the process of decomposition under controlled forms. Biogas Syd is an organisation with a big interest concerning biogas, working both strategically and actively to increase the production and use of biogas in south of Sweden. Biogas Syd is a concurrence project between private and public actors, universities included.
The Kakola Heat Pump – environmentally friendly heat from wastewater in Turku
Posted by: | CommentsTurku Energy Ltd. owned by the City of Turku is building a huge heat pump into the new waste water treatment plant. This heat pump will produce clean energy from renewable resources – treated wastewater. The heat stored in the treated waste water will therefore be used in district heating network which now covers about 90% percent of the local markets. The current installation also produces district cooling which is fast growing market in the region.
Concept of Regional Energy Agency for Southwest Finland
Posted by: | CommentsEnergy Agency of Southwest Finland is a regional energy management agency, accordant with the SAVE II programme of the European Union. Main customers are the municipalities of the SW Finland and NGO’s but to some extent also private companies.
Aim of the agency is to increase the use of renewable energy sources, energy conservation and energy efficiency.
Main activities are related to development and implementation of tailor made service packages for the municipalities in SW Finland. Agency also organises different kind of campaigns and develops projects related to energy and climate issues. Cooperation with private companies usually deals with heating systems and energy auditing.
Agency was founded with support of EU funding but now-a-days funding comes from chargeable tailor made service packages for municipalities and from project funding instruments. The host city (Turku) covers some of the administrative costs.
The Energy Agency was combined with the Local Agenda 21 Office in year 2008 which gives more resources and possibilities to the work.
Biogas generation in municipality of Kristianstad
Posted by: | CommentsIn Kristianstad, a medium sized municipality in the south of Sweden, two biogas plants (Waste water and Co-digestion) supplies a local gas grid with 47 GWh biogas per year. About one third of the gas is pre-treated (upgraded) to be used as fuel for vehicles. The rest of the gas is burnt to produce district heating. Some of the pre-treated biogas is exported to nearby cities where there is no local production of biogas or access to natural gas to supplies vehicles with fuel.
Fossil fuel free municipality in Kristianstad
Posted by: | CommentsIn 1999, Kristianstad municipality declared its commitment to become a Fossil Fuel Free Municipality. The reduction of fossil fuels is to be achieved primarily by the use of bio-fuels, both biomass as fuel for heating and production of electricity and biogas as fuel for local buses and other vehicles. The municipality has made great investments in district heating, biogas, bicycle network etc. which has had an impact on the reduction of CO2 emissions.
