Biomass renewable energy use and climate protection.
The challenge
Pécs is the fifth largest city of Hungary, located on the slopes of the Mecsek mountains in the south-west of the country, close to its border with Croatia. The energy supply of Pécs is provided by wood-biomass and natural gas importations for the whole country.
The Minister for National Development of Hungary clearly outlined in its National Energy Strategy Plan for the Use of Renewable Energy, its project to turn the city of Pécs the greenest city in Hungary, and the Europe’s biggest “green “cogeneration district heating network.
Veolia’s solution
Veolia’s new straw-fueled unit was in line with the government’s goals. Sharing the same commitment to responsible environmental management through innovative solutions that guarantee protection of the environment entirely based on this renewable fuel.
Straw-burning power plant is the first power plant in the Central and Eastern European region in such size that generates either heat or electricity by using straw as fuel.
The Benefits
The biomass-fired units increase the income of local forestries and farmers with more than 11.5 billion Forints every year. Owing to the long-term agreements made with the power plant, they obtain predictable, stable and considerable extra income.
Pécs saves nearly 200 million of cubic meters of natural gas for the whole country. The straw-fired block combined with a previously installed woodchip-fired block the city could switch completely to green heating mode.
The biomass technology may be used by smaller district heating systems starting from 1,000 residential customers, as well.
Baranya County, Hungary
Duration: 2030 for the heating network
400 000 tons of CO2 emissions reduced per year thanks to straw-fired block
70 MW of heat capacity
35 MW of electric capacity
160-180 thousand tons of straw per year
REGIONS & CITIES
The straw-fired unit provides 60% of the heat demand for the district heating system of 31.5 thousand flats and 460 institutions in the Southwestern Hungarian city of Pécs.
PLANET
Using biomass in district heating is a profitable and advantageous opportunity for all stakeholders involved.
WOMEN & MEN
Extra income of 11.5 billion Hungarian Forints for farmers in Southwestern Hungary.
Creation of hundreds of jobs.