no.nukes
Power For Change
Renewable energy and
energy efficiency case studies
Renewable Energy

FOREWORD

INTRODUCTION

ENERGY EFFICIENCY CASE STUDIES

RENEWABLE ENERGY CASE STUDIES

FORWORD

There are so many compelling reasons why it is time to move away from using nuclear power and fossil fuels to generate energy: climate change, radioactive contamination, nuclear proliferation, the unsolved problem of nuclear waste, air and water pollution, resource depletion, and of course the need to create a sustainable energy system based on indigenous renewable resources. Greenpeace believes a global commitment must be made to phase-out nuclear power and fossil fuels.

Against this background, Greenpeace worked with the International Institute for Energy Conservation (IIEC) to research this report which gives examples of energy efficiency and renewable energy technology currently in use and being developed in Central and Eastern Europe. It shows how countries in the region can reduce their dependence on nuclear power and fossil fuels. The report outlines case studies in Russia, Ukraine, Czech and Slovakia, but there are more examples in these countries and other countries in the region. These case studies are just the beginning, they give a brief glance at what is already available.

Technology is one of the keys, but as this report shows the way these technologies are managed and financed is just as important as the way they work. Not all of the case studies assessed will be 100 per cent success stories, mistakes will be made, and lessons will be learned. However, this report is evidence of just how far many technologies have advanced, often with very limited funding. With adequate resourcing this technology can be used to bring an end to the nuclear and fossil fuel nightmare and to start a realistic clean energy programme for future generations.

Greenpeace believes energy efficiency equipment should be cost-effective and easy to install. It should also be reliable, durable, and suitable for widespread application. Renewable energy technologies should be convenient to use, easy to operate and maintain, and be economically competitive. They should be long-lasting and their installation and operation should not seriously disrupt human settlements or sensitive ecosystems. Finally, they should generate considerably more energy over a lifetime than is invested in their construction and operation.

INTRODUCTION

The choice is now clear. Central & Eastern Europe can either continue to operate expensive dangerous and polluting nuclear power plants, or begin to implement new policies which will ensure that renewable energy systems are developed by receiving the politcal and financial support they deserve.

It is all too easy to point to old buildings that waste energy, to inefficient industries and so on, but these case studies show that political will can convert old buildings and transform industrial processes. Unfortunately, such commitment still remains the exception rather than the rule. Governments still subsidise and promote the inefficient and polluting technologies of the past. The same is also true of the International Funding Institutions.

The region does have the power to change. The successful projects outlined in this report give some examples of how it can be done. Breaking the addiction to nuclear power will require unprecedented political commitment, but the health and security of future generations depend on it.

Energy Efficiency

In Central and Eastern Europe, energy efficiency offers one of the best opportunities for lessening dependence on nuclear power and reducing the climate impacts of polluting fossil fuels. However, governments in the region continue to invest large sums of money in nuclear power projects, whilst expenditure on energy conservation has been minimal. Also, the European Union, through Euratom, continues to invest billions of ECU into developing nuclear power in the region.

In Russia, according to estimates developed by the Institute of Energy Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, energy conservation potential ranges as high as 40-45% of present energy consumption. Nuclear power plants in Russia currently produce less than 3% of total energy output.

Following the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986, there were numerous energy efficiency studies carried out in Ukraine. These studies developed by institutions such as the World Bank and the European Union have shown a huge potential for energy savings. The Ukrainian government has also set up a State Committee on Energy Conservation which has the task of co-ordinating and implementing a national energy savings strategy. In it’s draft document for a ‘Comprehensive Energy Efficiency Programme’, the Committee has shown that 42-48% of Ukraine’s total energy consumption (using 1990 as a base load) could be avoided.

In Slovakia, studies have shown energy consumption in the country is 30% higher per capita than neighbouring Austria.

The above figures are examples of the potential for energy savings in the region. However, in order to succeed in the necessary research, development and implementation of energy efficiency measures, it will be vitally important for governments,

International Financial Institutions and businesses to work together with a common aim of reducing energy consumption.The case studies outlined in the report give examples of effective energy efficiency schemes that, despite the lack of financing and political will, are already in place.

Renewable Energy

A balanced energy policy for any country should aim at energy efficiency with a long-term programme of implementation of renewable sources of energy. Energy from the wind, the sun and the water is constantly available and produces few environmental problems compared with other sources of energy. The treatment of wastes such as biomass, extracting ‘geothermal’ energy from the earth and small scale hydroelectric schemes also offer good possibilities.

The official view from many governments around the world, however, is that renewable energy will be unable to provide more than a small proportion of our energy needs until well into the next century. This pessimistic perception is directly related to the lack of funding which has been made available for research and development. The key to success is good planning and a complimentary mix of renewable energy sources. The role that renewable energy sources could play in Central and Eastern Europe is severely underestimated by decision makers. For example, in Russia, the Ministries of Nuclear and Fossil Fuel Energy receive huge development grants from the federal budget, whilst almost nothing is invested in the development of renewables. According to the Russian Ministry of Fuel and Energy Federation the economic potential of renewable sources of energy is equal to 8.1 EJ annually.

The Ukrainian authorities are in favour of wind energy. Development of wind energy technologies and utilization of wind resources are component to it’s electricity policy. The Ministry of Power and Electrification set a goal of the year 2010 of putting into operation a wind power production capacity providing not less than 5% of the electricity production of Ukraine, the equivalent of 15TWh. This is a good start, but does not go far enough.

There are of course many problems associated with the production and implementation of these kind of technologies in the region. The biggest is that there is almost no market for this equipment: the producers do not know how to sell the solar panel or wind generators they produce, while potential customers do not know where to buy such installations. This once again underscores the urgent need for government, business and banking co-operation and collaboration.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY CASE STUDIES

Teaching Hospital Energy Efficiency Project, Bulovka, Czech Republic

Source: Robert Greb, InnoTec Systemanalyse

EPS CR (a subsidiary of the US-based ESCO, Energy Performance Services) has implemented a performance contract to provide energy efficiency services to Prague’s Bulovka Teaching Hospital. The performance contract provided the long-term financing for the upgrade and generated considerable much-needed savings for the hospital.

The contract term is eight years. The hospital is guaranteed that during this period the total cost of implementing the project will be covered by the savings achieved. Additional revenues will be shared between the ESCO and the customer.

The Bulovka hospital covers approximately 80 000 m2 and has 1640 beds. Its annual revenues are U.S.$23-25 million, and prior to the improvements its energy bills totalled 10-15% of this. Enormous amounts of energy were used in the generation of heat in the hospital’s own steam plant.

The increase in energy costs during the transition to market prices in recent years forced the hospital to seek savings. Therefore the four following energy conservation measures were installed at a cost of US$2.7 million:

1. switching from the steam heating system to district heating;

2. implementing a new energy management system;

3. installing a new air handler recovery system.

4. installing a new high efficiency natural gas boiler.

Together these measures will produce an annual saving of approx-imately $700,000, resulting in a payback time of four years.

EPS CR closed the original steam plant and connected the hospital to the local district heating system which now provides heat and hotwater. Landis & Gyr control and monitoring equipment was also installed, and old piping was replaced. A computerised energy management system was set up to control hot water flow, monitor consumption, and facilitate on-line monitoring by EPS and Landis & Gyr from their offices in Prague.

Prior to the overhaul, air handling units in the hospital had used 100% fresh air. Heating cold intake air wasted a lot of energy, so heat exchangers were installed in the intake and exhaust ducts in two large buildings. The new system preheats incoming air by transferring heat to it from the output.

The hospital now generates steam only for sterilization and laundry, using a small, efficient natural gas-fired boiler. This conversion to gas has substantially reduced steam production costs.

Project to Implement Clean Sustainable Technology, Bozi Dar, Czech Republic

Source: Mayor Jan Hornik

In 1994 the Czech mountain municipality of Bozi Dar decided to take measures to preserve the local environment. The Board of Representatives drew up "The Ten Commandments for Ecological Measures in the Village of Bozi Dar", which specified the environmental needs of the area. These included energy conservation and the use of alternative energy sources. The village decided to focus primarily on improving a municipal prefabricated panel building.

This building, constructed in the sixties, is of a type subsequently deemed unsuitable for mountain areas. Its concrete outer shell was worn away by the harsh climate, its windows were falling apart, the roof was leaky and uninsulated. The municipal board decided to implement a complete reconstruction of the building, to deal with all of these defects at once.

Costs of 2.7 million Czech crowns (US$91,000) were covered through subsidies from the Czech Energy Agency and a PHARE loan.

In Autumn 1994 a new electric boiler room and central heating were installed, and solar energy equipment was set up. During 1995 the windows and main entrance door were replaced, and the reconstruction and insulation of the attic area was started. The work was finished and approved in July 1996. Also set up during this time were solar collectors on five of the total 136 houses in the village, a wind power plant and an information centre.

The reconstruction of the prefab has brought about energy savings of approx-imately 60%, as well as a variety of other environmental benefits. 23 pieces of coal-fired heating equipment – which had created considerable emissions – were disposed of, increasing space and reducing dust pollution and fire risks. An additional benefit is that the appearance of the building was significantly improved.

The Eko/Tep company initiated the idea of the project, and EkoWATT participated.

Energy Auditing in Schools and Hospitals, Prague, Czech Republic

Source: Tomas Nenicka, Greenpeace

The primary school in Bila Street in Prague’s District 6 is one of thousands of primary schools in the Czech Republic. Like every school, it needs a substantial amount of energy for heating. For years, the owner paid its central heating bills without knowing the amount of money he was spending needlessly.

However, an energy audit carried out in the school in 1995/6 revealed that enormous savings could be achieved with some investment into energy efficiency: an initial outlay of 2.7 million Czech crowns (US$91,000) could decrease energy consumption and costs by about 35%. Recommended efficiency measures included the repair and sealing of windows, insulation of the flat roof, installation of thermostatic valves and regulation of the heating system.

The energy audit in the Bila school, eight other Czech schools and four hospitals, was part of the B3/92 PHARE project called "Energy Efficiency in Hospitals and Schools". The major goals of the project were to create a methodology for evaluating energy efficiency in buildings, and to provide Czech experts with opportunities to practice it. The whole project was implemented by an international team led by the Dutch company Bouwcentrum International, in collaboration with Czech firms VUPEK, CSI and SEVEn.

The PHARE project took place in several stages: First, a brief energy audit was proposed and carried out in 11 hospitals and 10 schools. This was followed by a detailed, questionnaire-based audit carried out in four of these hospitals and eight of the schools. Finally, appropriate energy efficiency measures were proposed, with technical details and projected reductions in consumption for each institution. The implementation of the measures will prove or disprove the predicted savings.

Heat Plant Using Brown Coal Converted to a Natural Gas Cogeneration Plant, Decin, Czech Republic

Source: Eric Martinot

The industrial city of Decin (population 55,000) lies in a deep valley. Con-

sequently, air pollution accumulates over the region. For a long time, this has been very severe because of emissions of SO2, NO (and particulates from the use of local brown coal in heat production). Atmospheric SO2 levels in 1989 were up to ten times higher than those set by the World Health Organisation. Residents of Decin have been affected, suffering abnormal levels of respiratory disease and other pollution-related ailments.

In the district of Bynov, the coal-fuelled heating system was grossly inefficient, with more than 50% of heat energy produced being lost before use. Most of this wastage occurred in the supply pipes, which were corroded, with poor temperature regulation. With Decin’s air pollution at a critical level, the need for efficiency improvements became urgent. The modernization of the municipal heating system is being staggered: the Bynov heater was the first to be renovated.

Research by Danish firm Bruun & Sorensen and Energoprojekt Praha showed that, in the long term, the most economical and environmental solution natural gas cogeneration would be to reconstruct the heat plant and distribution networks to co-generate and supply heat and electricity.

Three US utilities – Wisconsin Electric Power, Edison Development, and NIPSCO Industries, in conjunction with the Centre for Clean Air Policy – provided interest-free loans of 16 million Czech crowns (US$580,000) to the city of Decin as part of the ‘Activities Implemented Jointly’ pilot phase of Joint Implementation under the UN FCCC.

The balance of the project costs were covered by the Czech State Environmental Fund (grants and loans of 173 million crowns, or US$6.25 million) and the Danish Environment Ministry (20 million crowns or US$722,500) The entire collaboration was overseen by the US Initiative on Joint Implementation.

The Danish firm, BWSC, implemented the project. Four gas engines with a total heat output of 11MW and an electricity output of 5MW are the main components of the new plant. Insulated piping, containing a conductor to identify leakages, was laid with a cable for data transmission from the distribution stations to the central control room. The entire system is now fully automated. Losses in the pipes are just 6.5%; the overall efficiency of the plant is 85%.

Sulphur dioxide emissions have been largely eliminated, and other particulates have been considerably reduced. Greenhouse gas emissions have been cut by 6,000 tons annually as a result of the fuel switch. If the power generation due to the cogeneration plant is taken into account, the overall reduction in CO2 emission is about 26,000 tonnes annually.

Robert Dixon US Initiative on Joint Implementation The USIJI Secretariat

PO-63 1000 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20585 USA

Insolar Experimental Cottage, Moscow, Russian Federation

Source: Eduard Gismatullin, Greenpeace

Insolar company has constructed an experimental cottage equipped with its own energy supply facilities. This project was set up under the US-Russian Commission on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, which provided most of the funding for it. It was implemented with the co-operation of several partners: the Moscow ‘Filee’ Park of Culture and Rest, the Russian Ministry of Science and Technical Policy, within the framework of the Russian state ‘Clean Energy’ programme, Moscow city administration.

The cottage is equipped with a thermal pump heating supply (TPHS) system, which provides it with heat, backed up by photovoltaic cells and wind turbines. The TPHS system (ATNU-10 model) works as follows: There are two wells underneath the house, 30m and 25m deep. At this underground level the temperature in Moscow is constantly around 8°C. 700 litres of liquid heat transfer agent (antifreeze in this case) at 0°C is pumped into the closed loop of the ground heat exchanger in the wells, where it warms up to 8°C. It is then fed into the heat pump exchanger. This in turn takes the heat from the antifreeze, which is pumped back into the wells. The heat is transmitted into the domestic heating system at a higher temperature, contained within a smaller volume of liquid.

The maximum temperature which can be generated is 55° C. Although the system does use some electricity, it costs up to 70% less to run than electric heating systems. The pay-back period decreases in remote areas where a supply of conven-tional electricity is more difficult and costly to obtain. The pilot cottage in Moscow still uses some network electricity. This is because the current resident is a publishing company, which consume a lot of energy. Also, the three wind turbines, with a total power potential of 2.5kW, are poorly-situated, so they are inefficient. These factors, however, are not inherent design flaws, so they will not necessarily be problematic in future dwellings.

The total price of the cottage is US$225,000, inclusive of the TPHS systems at US$4,000 each. The roof photovoltaic, which provides enough energy to light the house, cost US$13,500.

Construction work on the cottage started in 1994 and was completed in summer 1995. The builders calculate that ATNU-10 has already paid for itself: in two years, the complex has saved 72,000 kWh of energy. It uses 7.2 kW and supplies 23kW of heat. Service requirements are minimal: the filters need to be cleaned just once or twice per year. The lifetime of the machine is approximately 25,000 working hours which is limited by the compressor which can be easily replaced.

There are currently two drawbacks to the system. The first is that it requires some electricity in order to operate. This, however, can be generated by photovoltaic and wind turbines. The other is that R-22, used in the heat exchange chamber, is an ozone-destroying chemical – although environmentally sound hydrocarbon refrigerants are available to replace this. Joint Stock Company

‘Insolar’ 121 433 Moscow Bolshaya Filyovskaya str., 32 building No 3

tel: 7 (095) 144 0667, 144 9947

fax: 7 (095) 146 9561

The address of the pilot project: Demonstration complex

‘Ecopark Filee’ 121 309 Moscow Bolshaya Filoyvskaya str., 22 building No 2

Steam Boilers, Kaluga, Russian Federation

Source: Eduard Gismatullin, Greenpeace

Turbokon Company, a branch of the Kaluga Turbine Plant, situated in Kaluga, about 180 km south-west of Moscow, is producing energy efficiency equipment to utilise excess steam from industry.

It is common in Russia for industrial processes to create a great deal of surplus steam. The equipment which Turbokon is installing throughout the country makes it possible to use steam which would otherwise have been wasted.

The Turbokon machines, or Automatic Energy Generating Complexes (AEK), range in power from 250kW to 25MW. The manufacturers reckon that it would be possible to install about 20 such machines, providing about 500kW of power, in each of Russia’s 89 regions. By the year 2000, Turbokon could produce and install facilities with a total capacity of up to 900MW.

An example of a Turbokon complex in situ is the "Kuban" AEK-500 at the Kaluga Railway Repair-Mechanical Plant. This machine, installed during the year 1996, generates 500 kW, utilizes 16 tons of steam per hour, and works 24 hours per day. It consists of a turbine, gear box and generator fixed on a common frame, a control panel, lubricant tank, electric equipment, and emergency valve. The complex is a complete product, weighing 10.5 tonnes. It has a life span of 40 years, and requires servicing by plant staff only once every five years, to change the lubricant and roller-bearings.

The cost of an AEK-500 is about US$215,000 and each machine pays for itself in energy saved in two years: it reduces the cost of electricity by about 70-85%, with the electricity it produces costing 1,1-1,4 US cents per kWh. It takes up to a year to construct and install a single machine.

Kaluga Railway Repair-Mechanical Plant:

248 025 Kaluga Malinniki pereulok

Kaluga PRMZ

tel: 7 (0842) 51 55 11

fax: 7 (0842) 51 49 43

Scientific-Production Implementing Enterprise "Turbokon"

Kaluga post box 771 Moskovskaya str. 237 Russia 248 632

tel: 7 (0842) 16 71 93, 16 71 78

fax: 7 (08422) 2 37 51

Heat monitoring, Kostroma Convent, Russian Federation

Source: Eduard Gismatullin, Greenpeace

In Kostroma, about 400km north of Moscow, a convent was fitted with a hot water consumption meter in March 1995. This is an ST-32 model, which consists of a hot water meter, a calculator, and a complex of thermometers and resistors. The overall price of constructing and installing the meter was about US$2,500, and the work was done by TEAKORR company in cooperation with the Municipal Unitary Enterprise "Kostromateploenergo".The meter was produced by a Russian-Polish company called "Teplovodomer", and has a life span of 10-12 years.

In the case of the convent, the payback period was eight months: after the installation, the residents of the convent have reduced their consumption of hot water by 53% and their heating by 23%. Overall their costs have decreased by 36%. The air temperature in the convent is now regulated, and the heating switches off automatically when it is not needed. Hitherto the convent had used 1,600 GJ of energy for heating and 1,050 GJ for hot water each year; now they save 377 GJ on heating and 557 GJ on hot water. 1997 prices for heat energy and hot water supply in the Kostroma region are about US$ 6 per GJ.

The metre must be serviced once a month; this task can be done by two people. Also the controls need calibrating annually. These maintenance requirements cost US$430 per year. TEAKORR have installed 13 metres at a wide variety of establishments throughout the Kostroma region since 1992.

Bogoyavlensky Convent: 156 000 Kostroma Bogoyavlensky str.,26a Kostroma Theological College Bogoyavlenski monastery

tel: 7 (0942) 57 43 47, 57 42 06

fax: 7 (095) 973 0370

TEAKORR: 156 000 Kostroma

Molochnaya Gora str., 7

tel: 7 (0942) 57 64 67

fax: 7 (0942) 57 29 13

Energy Efficient Film for Windows, Moscow, Russian Federation

Source: Eduard Gisatullin, Greenpeace

According to the Russian Ministry of Construction the total surface area of the windows in private flats and apartment blocks in the country is a 500 mln.sq m. Of this, 5% has to be repaired or replaced every year, which gives a total of 20-25 mln.sq m. In addition, the Russian Federation adds 7, 5-10 mln.sq m of glass windows annually in the newly con- structed flats. According to the Ministry of Fuel and Energy, on average windows are about 20% of the total house surface (walls, ceiling, windows, floor) while at the same time the loss of heat through the glass is about 40% of all the loss in the building.

There are several ways for improving the efficiency of the insulation in the apart- ment windows, thus improving the efficiency of heating or reducing the costs of air conditioning during the summer months. One example is to cover the windows in a special film, which increases their strength, provides shade and prevents heat loss. The biggest producer in the world of this film is a company called 3M.

A second example of this is to produce glass-packs with the film inserted inside, and then put the pack into the window frames. Alternatively it can be placed between the glass and frames of ordinary windows now widely used in Russia. This technology was developed by a US company Southwall Technologies. In Russia this was introduced by JSC ‘Quadropack’ in1996.

Address: 123 424 Moscow P.O. Box 89

tel: 7 (095) 491 85 38

fax: 7 (095) 491 94 24

e-mail kwad@glasnet.ru

The company is able to produce about 0,5-0,7 mln.sq m of the film annually. They carried out 3 major projects in 1996, as follows:

1. The office of the Russian Ministry of Finance (hallmark office in Moscow).

2. The Ministry of Atomic Energy Exhibition Hall in Moscow.

3. In cooperation with the Moscow Centre for Energy Efficiency they provided some apartments in Ryasan with the film for the windows to conduct tests on heat losses.

The company is currently co-operating with the Moscow House Constructing Combine No. 3, Sibir-Trion, Russian Window Manufacture in the production of glass-packs and windows. Also there is interest from Finland and Saudi Arabia to buy this film, as it’s cheaper than the US-made product.

Technical specification: Film dimension: 1,2mx0,35m; thickness 35-50 micro m; It passes 85% of the sun light, and reflect 90% heat rays; Price 6-8 US$/m2; The glass-packs with the film save 20-40% of energy for heating or conditioning;

There is limited service needed for the film in the ordinary windows as it is installed between the frames, which leaves gaps and allows dust to get in. This means it is necessary to wash the film occasionally. For this method the film will last up to five years. In the case of the glass-packs it is not necessary to wash the surface as there are no gaps, and the life expectancy is therefore up to 20 years.

In the Moscow area this film is currently saving between 30-50 litres of oil per year from per square meter or 8 US$. This gives a pay back period of one year.

The Ministry of Finance hallmark office was partially equipped with this film. Quad- ropack has installed some additional frames between already the existing ordinary window frames to improve insulation. This appears to be working very well and the staff in the office are satisfied with the improved thermal conditions.

Benadicka Demonstration Project, Petrzalka, Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Source: Bill Sheldrick, Alembic Research

Petrasalka is the large dormitory settlement for Bratislava and is located across the Danube river from the city centre. The entire suburb has been constructed since 1960 and is home to about 200,000 people.

Throughout Slovakia (and the rest of Central and Eastern Europe) a large percentage of the dwellings built between 1960 and 1990 were of a Russian-designed large concrete panel construction. The amount of insulation included within the concrete panels varied over the years, with none in the older constructions and up to about 25mm of insulation in the 1980’s.

This pilot project was a limited experiment to assess primarily the impact of insulating the joints between the large concrete panels of the external wall construction. The two three-storey blocks consisted of 16 flats in total: four gable-end flats and 12 mid-terrace flats. These dwellings were originally constructed after 1983, and thus benefitted from higher insulation standards than (for example) the dwellings in Kramare.

The improvements included installing polyurethane foam insulation between the joints of the large concrete panels, insulating the flat roof construction, installing a third layer of glazing on the north facing facade of the flats, enclosing the balconies, adding controls to the heating system radiators, and providing the occupants with venetian blinds. The project was carried out during 1992/93. The total cost of the insulation and heating improvements was approximately 900,000 Slovak crowns (US$27,700). This represents a cost of approximately 56,250 crowns (US$1,730) per flat to save an average of 8.6 GJ per flat.

The target was to reduce space heating consumption by 20%. When compared with the energy consumption in the adjacent, unimproved block, the reduction averaged 36.6% per mid terrace flat.

Insulation Project: 'Improving the Energy Performance of Residential Dwellings', Stary Smokovec, Slovak Republic

Source: Bill Sheldrick, Alembic Research

This project involved the collaboration of two community-based organisations from Dublin and Glasgow with the Slovak municipality of Stary Smokovec. It took place between March 1995 and May 1996, and was funded under the EU’s PHARE/ECOS-Ouverture Urban and Regional Energy Efficiency Programme. Its three aims were:

1. to incorporate energy efficient design improvements into the reconstruction of a residential dwelling block in Slovakia;

2. to combine training in insulation techniques with the actual refurbishment of residential dwellings;

3. to increase householder energy awareness through developing and delivering local energy activities and services.

The main task undertaken under the INSULATE scheme was the design and upgrading of the insulation and heating controls of a dwelling block of 18 flats in Stary Smokovec. The improvements included external wall insulation (Slovak-produced mineral wool slabs), the insulation of high performance double glazed windows, the glazing of the balcony spaces, and the fitting of thermostatic radiator valves to all the radiators within each flat. Also, six new flats were constructed within a roof superstructure added on of the upgraded dwelling block.

The total cost of the reconstruction work was approximately 10.7 million Slovak crowns, or US$368,000. This works out at a unit price of under US$15,500. The six newly-built flats will be sold off separately to allow the municipality to recoup the cost of the investment work.

Energy consumption within the block of flats was compared to that of a similar, unimproved block nearby. Measurements showed that the implementation of the efficiency improvements actually led to a 47-49% reduction in energy consumption in the upgraded building. This means a reduction of 52kW per m2 per year. However, in purely financial terms, the project would not be considered cost-effective, because State subsidies keep the price of energy in Slovakia artificially low. Because of the additional flats, total energy consumption after the reconstruction and building has not fallen, although CO2 emissions per household have decreased.

An energy awareness programme teaching local residents how to make use of the new heating controls and to use energy more effectively in their homes featured prominently in the scheme. Alongside the work in Slovakia, a similar project in Glasgow took place, where 24 pensioner flats were upgraded and members of Energy Action were trained in energy auditing. There was also an exchange of personnel focusing on the development of energy advice services in Dublin and Slovakia. The Insulate Project was not simply about investing in higher insulation standards or better heating controls but, importantly, it was also about investing in people: exchanging experiences, enhancing existing skills, and developing new ones.

Alembic Research 24 Syke Crescent

Old Kilpatrick Glasgow G60 5ER

tel: 01389 875 193

fax: 01389 890 175

Kramare Pilot Project, Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Source: Bill Sheldrick, Alembic Research

Kramare is a suburb of Bratislava, about 2 km from the city centre. The multi-storey buildings involved in the pilot project are located on a hill and can be seen easily from the city centre. The project involved installing insulation and heating controls in five multi-storey blocks (three containing 44 flats each, and two containing 55 flats each) and five adjacent three-storey, low-rise blocks (containing 18 flats each). All 332 flats in the pilot project were heated via the same district heating boiler plant nearby.

In the case of the multi-storey blocks, the improvements included fitting 60 mm external wall insulation cladding, weather sealing the windows, and insulating the flat roofs. Heat-control equipment (thermostatic radiator valves) was installed on the radiators in each of the flats. Some of the balconies of the multi-storey flats have subsequently been glazed in by the occupants. The low-rise blocks received similar heating and insulation improvements, though there were some alterations in the specification: the north facing windows had a third layer of glazing installed and a roof superstructure was built on top of the original building to allow the construction of six new flats above the existing flats. These additional dwellings have been sold to private purchasers.

In addition to the evaluation of the heating and insulation improvements, this pilot project was intended to be a trial of ‘Western’ external cladding insulation materials to assess their suitability for Slovak conditions. Ultimately, nine different external wall cladding insulation systems were used, with only one used twice (on one of the multi-storey and one of low rise blocks).

Work on the multi-storey blocks started in 1991 and was completed late in 1992. The improvement of the low-rise blocks started in 1993 and was finished in 1995. The total cost of the project was approximately 30 million Slovak crowns, or US$920,000. This averages out at about 91,000 crowns – less than US$2800 – per flat.

The pilot project target was to achieve a 30% reduction in energy consumption as a result of the improvements to the insulation and heating systems within the flats. The measured reductions in energy consumption ranged between 33% and 39%. Recent measurements, after work on the boiler plant carried out in 1995, have found an average reduction in energy consumption of 50.6%, in comparison with the levels of consumption before any of the works were carried out.

Energy Efficiency Retrofit, Kiev, Ukraine

Source: Alexey Pasyuk, Greenpeace

In Simirenko Street, Kiev, there is a 10-storey residential building containing 240 apartments in six sections. Three of these have been equipped with new energy-saving devices, while the other three have not, and are used for comparison.

The roof and the outer surface of the external walls of one section are additionally insulated with glass-and-mineral wool, with air space between the wool and the covering plates. Altogether 2000m2 have been treated in this way, at a cost of US$300,000, or $160 per m2. The expected annual energy saving is 420 GJ.

120 apartments are equipped with devices on-site to meter heat consumption through space heating and hot water. The radiators are fitted with thermostatic valves, at a cost of US$17,000 ($142 per dwelling), to encourage voluntary energy efficiency measures on the part of the residents. The predicted annual savings are 1,120 GJ, or 1.3 GJ per dwelling.

The substation connected to the district heating network is equipped with a precision control system to cut out unnecessary heat consumption. This measure, which cost US$25,000, is expected to save 270GJ annually. The overall annual energy saving, then, is expected to be 1210 GJ.

Measurements to be made at the end of winter 1996-7 will show the actual energy savings achieved: these are likely to amount to about 20-25% of previous consumption.

The payback period for the least expensive of the energy-saving measures is four years. The cost of the wall insulation will take much longer to recoup, because it saves only US$1 per m2 per year, and the materials and technology used were expensive. There were two reasons for the choice of materials. Firstly, one of the project’s aims was to stand as a showcase for the most advanced efficiency technologies; secondly, the cheaper alternative plastic insulation (costing US$70-80 per m2) releases toxic fumes when burnt.

The project was financed with French government money, and some funds from the Ukrainian State Committee for Construction and Architecture. Work was carried out by the Kiev ZNIIEP (Ukrainian Zonal Scientific Research and Design Institute of Civil Engineering) and the French firm Solgelerg. Installation of the insulation was completed by six people in two months in 1996.

KIEV ZNIIEP tel: +380 44 295 6540 fax: +380 44 295 7481

RENEWABLE ENERGY CASE STUDIES

Wind Power

Wind Turbine Station, Rostov, Russian Federation

Source: Eduard Gisatullin, Greenpeace

In the Rostov region in the South of Russia, about 1,000 km from Moscow, there is a wind farm. It is known as the VES-300, and is operated by a branch of Rostovenergo, a subsidiary of the company running the electricity network in the region, Eastern Electric Networks.

The VES-300 wind farm has 10 wind generators with 30 kW of power each, giving a total of 300 kW. The project was started in late 1995 and was finished in the spring of 1996. The installation was carried out by different organisations: Eastern Electric Networks; a German company Husumer SchiffsWerft (HSW); a Russian Association of the Wind Energy Develop-ment "Energobalance-Sovena" and some local contractors from the Rostov region.

The wind generators were provided free by the German HSW company under the framework of the German state programme Eldorado Wind. The aim of the programme is to provide technical assistance to developing countries in order to introduce wind technologies The Association "Energobalance-Sovena" supplied the gears the wind generators, which was produced at a Saint Petersburg plant, "Konstructor". The windmill masts and bases were produced by contractors from the region.

According to Eastern Electric Networks, by January 1st 1997 the wind farm has produced 172,093.4 kWh, and worked for almost 55,000 hours. Since it began operating, there has only been approximately 11,000 hours when it was not operating. It’s best performance to date was in December 1996 when it produced about 40,000 kWh of electricity. For that whole period it did not have to stop working due to generator break downs. The average annual wind speed in the region is about 4.05 m/s. In 1996 the VES-300 produced electricity at a cost of around US$ 5,000.

The life span of the wind generators is about 20 years. Only seven people are involved in their service and operation. Twice a year it is necessary to check the generators systems, service them and change the lubricants. The wind farm provides electricity straight to the grid.

The financing for the wind farm came from "Energobalance-Sovena", Rostovenergo and Rostov regional administration.

Russian Association of the Wind Energy Development "Energobalance-Sovena" 109 147 Moscow P.O.Box 10

tel: 7 (095) 160 1441

fax: 7 (095) 160 1412

Rostov Energo Eastern Electrics Network Office 347320 Tsimlyansk Grishin Street, 22 tel: 7 (86392) 23765 32732

fax: 7 (86392) 23854

Farm Windmill, Gatchina, Russia

Source: Eduard Gismatullin, Greenpeace

In September 1996 a Greenpeace team visited a farmers’ settlement which is not connected to the main electricity grid. The closest power line is 5 km away. The farm is situated in the Gatchina District of the Leningrad region. Although this area has a huge power-producing sector and a big electricity network, the farmers (Nadezhda and Veneamin Turabov) had to look for an autonomous source of energy. Until 1996 they were using car batteries to supply the farm with electricity, which had to be carried to the neighbours’ house once a week to be recharged.

On January 25th 1996, they purchased a small windmill to produce electricity for their cottage. They bought it for US$800 from a local company which is now producing windmills as part of a conversion programme to diversify away from Ministry of Defence work. The generator is quite small, with a power output of about 300W. It weighs about 40 Kg, including the control unit, and it was installed by two people in less than three hours.

The producers of the windmill do not believe that the installation is going to pay for itself financially through the electricity it produces although, in making this assessment, it is not clear what value they assumed for the electricity produced. Mr. and Mrs. Turabov are convinced that the windmill has already paid them back by improving their quality of life, as they no longer need to carry heavy car batteries to their neighbors’ property for recharging. They are happy about the installation, and it does not disturb them.

The farmers’ address is:

188 352, Leningrad region, Gatchina District settlement Ivanovka P.O. Pudost house 7, fl.8 Nadezhda and Veneamin Turabov

WIND GENERATOR.

Model:UVE-300/24-2.2

Producer:TSNII "Elektropribor"

Russia 197 046 Saint-Petersburg

Malaya Posadskaya str, 30

tel: 7 (812) 232 5915, 238 8277

fax: 7 (812) 232 3376

email: elprib@erbi.spb.su

Donuzlav Wind Power Plant, Crimea, Ukraine

Sources: Eric Martinot, Alexey Pasyuk, Greenpeace

The Ukrainian government has been supportive of wind power since it became clear that it might be an economical alternative to imported electricity. It recently introduced a 0.75% tax on electricity sales to help finance Ukrainian environmental projects, industrial restructuring for wind turbine manufacture, and wind plant construction.

Windenergo is a joint venture, set up in 1992 by a group of companies including an American wind turbine manufacturer, Kenetech Windpower, and the Crimean electricity utility, Crimenergo. Largely because the weak Ukrainian economy precluded the direct purchase of costly western-made machines, Windenergo obtained a license from Kenetech to manufacture 107.5 kW turbines – "Ukrainian machines"– based on the US model. Five such turbines were made in 1993 using almost exclusively Ukrainian components, and a pilot plant was

set up to demonstrate the capabilities

of the technology.

The site of the Crimea Wind Plant, near Evpatoria, Lake Donuzlav, is ideal for wind power, with flat ground, open space, and plenty of wind. The original plant of three turbines has expanded considerably, and at present there are up to 50 wind turbines in operation at the site, with a total capacity of 50 MW. There are also plans to manufacture a new generation of 400-kW turbines and expand the plant’s capacity to 500 MW.

Many of the plant’s staff are former officers from the Donuzlav Naval Base: maintenance and manufacture of turbine equipment involves the conversion and use of the resources of the old USSR military set-up. The Windenergo project is thus an example of military-industrial conversion and privatisation for renewable energy technologies in the former USSR. It demonstrates the potential of renewable energy to address several of Ukraine’s problems: defence industry conversion; resource conservation; an alternative to Chernobyl nuclear plant; attraction of western investment, and development of internationally-competitive enterprise as a means of achieving economic reform.

Windenergo shows the feasibility of collaboration between US companies and former Soviet states.The US partners have invested about US$7 million; the Ukrainian government has also contributed sub- stantially. The cost of electricity production is approximately 2.3 cents/kWh, while the average cost of conventional electricity production in Ukraine is 2.8 cents/kWh. The time taken for each turbine produced to pay for itself in electricity output is estimated at four-five years. Up to March 1st 1997, Donuzlav Wind Power Plant has produced 5,013,690kWh, saving an estimated 1,820 tonnes of conventional fuel.

‘Crimenergo’ 330620 Simferopol, Kievskaya 74/6, AR Crimea Ukraine

tel: +380 652 258376

fax:+380 652 272324

e-mail: nie@gaek.crimea.energy.gov.ua

Renewable Energy

Solar Pensioners' Home, Svitavy, Czech Republic

Source: News at Seven

A major barrier to the implementation of energy efficiency projects is finance: loans are difficult to obtain, mortgages are problematic, and residential energy prices do not always motivate people to seek alternative solutions. The problem faced specifically by ecohouses is that they require higher initial investment than conventional construction projects, so their realisation requires a sound approach to finance.

This new building is one of just a few successfully-constructed ecohouses in the Czech Republic. Located in the town of Svitavy, it is a senior citizens’ facility which uses solar energy and the combination of classical source (water-heat boiler room). The proposed design for this building had been for a pre-fabricated panel building in the style typical of the region; however, the town mayor preferred the ideas of two architects who suggested a much more attractive and innovative design.

The resulting construction is a complex of four low buildings with 115 apartment units. They are spaced so as not to shade each other, and a fifth building inter- connects the complex. The apartments are south-facing, and all have a jutting, glassed-in balcony which serves as a small greenhouse or additional social area. The buildings have glass roofs and can also serve as greenhouses. The heat accumulates and is used through the ventilation system to heat the apartments. In the summer, cool air on the northern facade is collected and distributed to the apartments. The attic of the tallest building houses three air/water heat pumps for heating water. These pumps make use of the temperature difference between the interior and the exterior. Except during periods of freezing weather, these pumps can compleely meet the demand for hot water in the whole complex.

Although costs for building this ecohouse were approximately 10% higher than for a standard pre-fab, all its features have resulted in energy savings of 50%, which should inspire other cities to implement similar projects.

Solar House, Kromeriz, Czech Republic

Source: News at Seven

Last November, the Czech firm Ekosolaris opened up a solar-energy house in Kromeriz with solar energy-utilizing elements that produce domestic hot water and provide local heating. The facility is eight-sided, and the sun always shines on at least half of the total area. The house, called Octosolar Plus, was developed by Ekosolaris in co-operation with KPM Ospol Studenka. It was produced primarily with natural materials – wood, and mineral fibre insulation.

Such multi-angular constructions have been in use for over a century. The eight-sided model always receives maximum light, which has positive effects on human health. To supplement the passive solar heating, a Canadian-built heat pump warms the living areas.

The house consumes only 55% as much natural gas as a conventional family house (an annual saving of 53GJ), and just 25% of the electricity used by an average home (a saving of 22.2 MWh, or almost 250 GJ in terms of fuel consumed in a coalburning power plant).

From the 100 m2 roof construction, the solar-energy house can send up to 50 m3 of rainwater down to a underground storage tank. This ‘grey’ water can then be used for domestic purposes other than drinking, leading to a reduced demand for water and additional energy savings in the water supply system.

The basic Octosolar model is a one-storey facility with 80 m2 of useable area. It contains two bedrooms, a large living room, and a bathroom. It takes just eight weeks to build. The design is such that it is possible to fit the units together in a honeycomb fashion; thus models of up to 225 m2 with the possibility of an upper storey can be constructed.

Ekosolaris Kromeriz has signed a preliminary contract to supply 350 solar-energy houses to Germany. The unit price is 985,000 CZK (US$36,000) for the basic model. KPM Studinka offer a mortgage credit deal to purchasers.

Ekosolaris Kotojedska 2381 Kromeriz

tel: 42 634 24591

fax: 42 634 330343.

Solar Hospital, Krasnodar, Russian Federation

Source: Eduard Gismatullin, Greenpeace

In the city of Krasnodar, about 1,200 km to the South of Moscow, there are several companies which are involved in designing, production and installation of PV panels and solar collectors. There are several interesting case studies where solar energy is used quite successfully.

There is a regional hospital in Krasnodar where the manager decided to invest funds in solar collectors and energy efficiency measures to save costs on the heating and hot water supply.

The address of the hospital:

350 086 Krasnodar 1-st Maya str.,

167 Central Regional Hospital

tel: 7 (8612) 57 89 11

fax: 7 (8612) 60 35 12

The hospital bought the solar collectors and two water metres from a local company ‘UREK’ The installation of the water metres was started in 1993 and finished in 1994. The total installation costs were around US$40,000. The solar collectors were installed in 1995 at a cost of around US$20,000.

In only two weeks the water metres had paid back their costs. The solar collectors have a pay back period of three years. The hospital estimates that it is now saving about US$ 200.000 annually on it’s heating and hot water supply. The solar collectors saved the hospital almost US$6,500 in 1996.

The solar collectors produce 10 cubic metres of hot water daily. They operate from the end of April to the end of September, and the water in the tap can often reach 80°C during hot weather. The collectors (108 panels) are installed on the roof of the hospital canteen, so the water is also used for preparing food, but has to be given slight additional power to reach boiling point. The manager of the hospital confirmed that the system used brass pipes, which are known to be safer than ordinary iron pipes used in water supply systems, as there is less reaction of water with the metal.

The financing was provided by the hospital and it was installed by UREK who produce solar collectors in co-operation with: Kovrov Mechanical Plant. The life span of the solar collectors is about 10 years. The surface area of the collector panel is 0.81 m2 and the price can range from 80 to 210US$ per panel depending on the materials used in the production. The company advises that the panels should be cleaned from dust once a month.

The hot water metres were produced in the city of Arzmas, and the usual pay back period is about three months.

UREK has been involved in solar collector projects, energy efficiency and geo-thermal stations since 1993. It is currently developing design proposals for the solar collectors to work all year round, thus increase annual output by 40%. The company has so far installed about 35 facilities, with the total square of 3,000 m2. According to UREK estimates the region has a potential of 200 MW power for water production by solar collectors.

UREK 350 015 Krasnodar Krasnaya str., 124 room 1103

tel/fax: 7 (8612) 57 52 33

Solar Farm, Krasnodar, Russian Federation

Source: Eduard Gismatullin, Greenpeace

Russian-made photovoltaics are used to supply electricity for home appliances to a farm in the village of Morozovski, which is about 1,000 km to the south of Moscow.

The farm is about 2 km away from the nearest grid which created a problem of how to secure an electricity supply. In 1994, Victor Titov bought a PV station with a total production capacity of 500 W from a local PV production company, Saturn. The whole installation was done by the company, and cost around US$ 5000. The installation can provide electricity at 24V and 220V.

With the help of the PV station, the family can now use a fridge, television, stereo centre, lights and even welding equipment. This is enough for them during the summer, and during the winter the family lives in a winter house, which is part of the village and has a supply of electricity from the network.

The address of the farmer:

353 897 Krasnodar region Primorsko-Akhtarsky district, village Morozovsky, Lenin str., 40, Victor Titov

The address of JSC Saturn:

350 072 Krasnodar Solnechnaya str.,8

tel: 7 (8612) 578 205, 540 776

fax: 7 (8612) 543 595

The PV station is called FES-0.5/24-220. As the company says, it is environmentally friendly while in operation, but there are some environmental problems during the production technology which have almost been eliminated.

Electricity is accumulated in a battery during the day and then can be consumed as needed. The lifespan of the station is expected to be 20 years, and the company provides a 10 year guarantee for the whole system.

The Saturn company was established almost 30 years ago to produce PV panels for Russian satellites and spacecraft. It also produces small rechargeable batteries for use in space technology. The average price of the PV module is US$ 4-5 per 1 W. For the whole system, including: batteries, a frame to hold the PV panels, electric wires, etc. the price is about US$10 per 1 W.

The company is working with various partners including Germany, Laos, Morocco, Laos, Israel, South Africa and Tunisia. It produces about 1 MW of PV per year, of which 95% is currently sold abroad.

Solar Village, Vologda, Russian Federation

Source: Eduard Gismatullin, Greenpeace

In the Vologda region, close to the town of Cherepovets, 450km to the North of Moscow, there is a village equipped with solar panels and windmills. The name of the village is: Shaloch – which has about 50 houses.

The address of the village is:

Vologda region 162800 Ustyzhenski district, Lentevsky s/s

P.O. Box Ponizovye, village Shaloch

Only 14 houses in the village are supplied with electricity, the remaining families have to live with petrol-lamps and candles.

The village has 14 PV panels, 12 of which are are 65 W and two are 130 W. There are three windmills, which have 160 W maximum power. Also the houses are equipped with 7 W, 9 W, 11 W energy efficient light bulbs which are equivalent to 40 W, 60 W, and 75 W ordinary bulbs. The villagers also have energy efficient televisions which only consume 15W of electricity as opposed to the normal 35 W televisions. The houses are also equipped with energy efficient water pumps.

Each solar panel consists of 2 FSM-30-12 modules, which were produced by the All-Russian Scientific-Research Institute of Agriculture Electrification (VIESKH) solar power plant laboratory. The technical data of the module is as follows: Power: 27-33W Weight: 5.6 kg, Lifespan: 10 years

The villagers equipped the panels with a wooden frame and a turning tool to follow the sun’s rays.

The whole experiment was conducted within the framework of an ‘innovation programme’ known as ‘The Imple- mentation of Non-traditional Sources of Energy in a Remote Village of Vologda Region’. This programme was developed in 1993 and cost approximately US$ 300,000. But a lack of finances halted the project and it is now only 20% complete. Most of the work was completed between 1993-94. However, some further work was carried out in 1995. At present work at the site has stopped, even though there essential servicing work should be carried out. An identical project was developed but was never started in the Buryatia Region.

Several partners were involved in the projects:

All-Russian Scientific-Research Institute of Agriculture Electrification (VIESKH), which provided the PV Address:

109 456 Moscow, 1-st

Veshnyakovsky proezd,2

tel: 7 (095) 171 2383

fax: 7 (095) 171 96 70

JSC ‘Electrodomotekhnika’ Plant ‘Priborostrenie’, which provided

the wind mills.

Address: 152 907 Rybinsk

Prospekt Serova, 89

tel: 7 (0855) 59 20 41, 59 26 75

fax: 7 (0855) 55 45 24

It was originally intended that the whole project should be financed by a Federal budget, but 50% of the equipment costs were paid by the inhabitants of the village. Each solar panel cost them about US$ 150

in 1995. The windmills were provided for free as part of the ‘innovation programme’.

Although the villagers are generally happy with the equipment, they sometimes feel they suffer from a shortage of electricity because the total power installed in each house is not sufficient to run a fridge or a washing machine. But this is a question of equipping the houses with additional PV panels and a few more windmills in general for the whole village. The villagers do not have any additional funds to pay for more equipment and the ‘innovation programme’ is now over.

The villagers take good care of the solar panels and the windmills. During the winter they clean the snow from them, and all year round they turn them to track the movement of the Sun. Sometimes during high winds they become afraid that the panels will fall down from the roofs. As for the windmills the drop and rapid change of temperature cover the propellers with ice, creating a danger that they will break down. Another additional problem is how to service the rechargeable batteries.

But nevertheless the inhabitants of ‘Sunny Shaloch’ as the village is known, are satisfied with the work of the PV panels and windmills. They would however like more funds to expand the total power output or to introduce more renewable energy sources into the village.

Hot Water-Supply Solar Thermal Collectors, Crimea, Ukraine

Source: Alexey Pasyuk, Greenpeace

The following is a list of buildings which are equipped with solar thermal collectors which heat their water up to 40-90°C:

1. The Sanatorium "Pushkin", Gurzuf .

2. The Rest home "Kulon", Rybachie,

3. The Holiday hotel "Rybachie", Rybachie,

4. The Children’s Sports School for 250 pupils in Alushta,

5. Yalta’s branch of GAEK (the State Joint-Stock Energy Supply Company)

The above solar collectors are estimated to save approximately 180 tonnes of con- ventional fuel annually. In total, there are about 60 solar thermal collectors in Crimea.

The average value of the solar collectors is US$ 350 per square metre. This price includes purchasing and installation. The payback period is between 3 to 5 years. At this stage there are no foreign firms involved in the programme.

The main obstacle to more widespread implementation of solar collectors in Crimea is the lack of efficient and in- expensive technology for producing them.

Deputy Chief of the Board GAEK "Crimenergo" I.Tytarenko.

tel: 380 652 256 359

fax: 380 652 272 324

Biomass Technology

Biomass Village Heating, Bohemia, Czech Republic

Source: Tomas Nenicka, Greenpeace

Hartmanice is a small town in southwestern Bohemia at the border of the Sumava National Park. Eight hundred people live there, and it is a centre for tourism all year round. However, until winter 1994/95, inhabitants and visitors alike suffered because of high atmospheric pollution caused by the burning of brown coal for local heating. This problem was exacerbated by frequent temperature inversions in the region. The mayor of Hartmanice, Juri Jukl, decided to tackle the problem by replacing coal boilers with boilers burning chopped wood. This task was carried out by a company called EGF Susice, and Danish wet-wood burner technology was used. Two boilers of 880kW and 1,750 kW were installed. A subsidy was obtained in 1994, prepatory work began in March 1995 and the first phase was ready to operate in December of that year. After the completion of the project, 90% of all households in Hartmanice will be connected to the biomass municipal central heating system.

Local sawmills provide waste chopped wood as the fuel for the boilers. Because of the short transport distance of less than 10 kilometres from the sawmills to the boiler plant, the waste wood gives a low price of 0.11Czech crowns per kWh of heat.

The town benefited from biomass in several ways: not only has the new heating system reduced atmospheric emissions there, it has also significantly improved the comfort of the citizens by making possible a 24-hour heat and warm water supply. The ash by-product of the boilers is also useful as an excellent agricultural fertilizer.

There is a great deal of potential for the use of biomass in the Czech Republic. Many towns and villages, especially in border areas where there is a lot of usable waste from forestry, could benefit from it. There is also unused agricultural land which could be used for growing energy crops, and the land revitalized after coal mining in Northern Bohemia could serve a similar purpose.

Biogas plant/Cattle farm, Moscow, Russian Federation

Souce: Eduard Gismatullin, Greenpeace

BIOEN-1, was built on a small cattle farm by a group of enthusiasts who invested their own money in it in 1994-1995. It can produce energy and fertilizers from the waste of 20-25 cattle and consists of 4 bio-reactors. The module reprocesses 1 tonne of biomass a day, producing 40 m3 of bio-gas, enough for 80 kWh of electricity and up to 800 MJ of heat, as well as 1 tonne of fertilizers. This energy should be enough to supply 10 families of 4 people living in Russian climate conditions. The cost of the model is US$30-35 thousand, and the payback period in this case was only six months because the fertilizers it produced were sold. The payback period through sales of methane gas would otherwise be 5-7 years. The life span of the facility is about 10 years.

Biogas stations are not common in the Russian Federation;there is almost no production, and officials say that in the whole of the former USSR only about 60-80 reactors have been built. The unstable economic situation makes it extremely difficult to introduce these technologies into the Russian energy market.

According to the Russian Academy of Science, Russia produces 350 million tonnes of organic waste annually, which could be made to produce 95 billion m3 of biogas, with an energy content equal to 66.5 million tonnes of oil, or about twice the total output of Russia’s nuclear power plants.

Information about the BIOEN-1 station: "Center EcoRos":

Address: Russia Moscow 117 192 Lomonosovski prospekt 33, building 2, office 21.

tel : 7 (095) 147 3669, 152 6755

Town Biomass Energy Action Plan for Rajec, Slovak Republic

Source: Ladislav Zidek, Project Manager, Vice-Mayor of Rajec

Rajec is a town of 6,350 people located in a heavily-forested area in Northwestern Slovakia, which has traditionally depended on locally-produced brown coke for fuel. In 1992, in conjunction with the Danish Energy Institute, the Danish Energy Agency and several Slovak government ministries, the municipality set up an ‘Energy Action Plan’, in order to explore the potential for energy efficiency and use of renewables in a typical small Slovak town.

Activities carried out under the Energy Action Plan have eased pressures on the environment and improved the economic situation in the region. The use of biomass energy, for example, illustrates this: using left-over wood from industry, it reduces the volume of waste; it creates job opportunites locally; and the heat and hot water it produces is cheaper than that from gas or brown coal, so the money thus saved can be used for other municipal improvements.

58.7 million Slovak crowns (US$1.8 million) have been invested in the scheme since its inception in 1992, and numerous projects have been implemented in the ongoing plan to reduce energy consumption. These include: the reconstruction of the heat supply system on a housing estate; the insulation of 48 apartments; biomass heating at the church school; reconstruction of a municipal boiler for biomass; cultivation of willows for biomass; insulation of family houses; decommissioning of boilers run on low-quality lignite and coke; decentralisation of water-heating; and the monitoring of heat and hot water consumption.

In 1992, the town’s total energy consumption was 409,000 GJ, and in 1996 it was 383,000 GJ. This contitutes an overall decrease in energy use of 26,000 GJ or 6.4%. Use of brown coal and coke has been considerably reduced; natural gas has replaced them to a large extent. Stack emissions in 1996 were 35% less than in 1992, with SO2, NOx and COx emissions down by 63%, 42% and 54% respectively.

At present, renewables provide about 4% of Rajec’s energy; the town is hoping to increase this figure to 10% by 2005. It has undertaken to carry out a further series of improvements over the next twenty years, ranging from basic insulation measures and energy management training, to the construction of cogeneration and small-scale hydropower plants, and the reconstruction of the public lighting system. Rajec continues to be a high-profile example of a town striving towards a permanently sustainable way of life.

Foundation for Energy Conservation and Municipal Environmental Protection, Námestie SNP 2, Rajec 015 01 tel/fax: 00 42 823 422 177

List of Russian producers of renewable energy techologies

LIST OF RUSSIAN WINDMILL PRODUCERS

  1. "RADUGA" Dubna 141 980, Zhukovskogo str,2 tel# 7 (095) 926 2246, 7 (09621) 5 11 49, fax# 7 (09621) 2 35 28
  2. "Priborostroenie", Rybinsk 152 907, Serov avenue, 89 tel# 7 (0855) 59 20 41, 59 25 57 fax# 7 (0855) 55 45 24
  3. "Tornado", Istra 143 500, Panfilov str, 51 tel# 7 (095) 560 3522 fax# 7 (095) 560 3853
  4. "Energobalance-Sovena", Moscow 109 147, P.O.Box 10 tel# 7 (095) 160 1441 fax# 7 (095) 160 1412
  5. "Company LMV Vetroenergetica", Khabarovsk 680 030, Pavlovich str, 26 tel# 7 (4212) 21 73 52, 22 13 84 fax# 7 (4212) 22 13 84
  6. Tula Combine Plant, Tula 300 004, Kirov str, 250 tel# 7 (0872) 44 26 35, 44 77 73 fax# 7 (0872) 44 14 90
  7. Ufa State Aircraft-Technical University, "Delphin", Ufa 450 000, Karl Marx str, 12, bl.,2, room 303 tel#\fax# 7 (3472) 23 77 74
  8. Tushinsky Machinery-Contruction Plant, Moscow 123 362, Svobody str, 35 tel# 7 (095) 493 3047 fax# 7 (095) 497 4825
  9. "Vetronergomash", Astrakhan 414 045, Brest str, 30 tel# 7 (8512) 33 57 11, 33 08 43, 33 25 49 fax# 7 (8512) 33 57 11
  10. "Ecoenergetika", Saint-Petersburg 195 251, Politechnik str, 29, SPbGTU, dep.VIEG tel# 7 (812) 552 7771 fax# 7 (812) 552 80 68, 535 80 25
  11. "Molinos", Moscow 125 080, P.O. Box 36 tel# 7 (095) 158 44 09 fax# 7 (095) 158 02 49
  12. "Electropribor", Gatchina 188 350, Promzona 1 tel# 7 (81271) 2 01 45, 1 09 49, 7 (812) 232 33 97 fax# 7 (81271) 3 67 59 TSNII "Electropribor", Saint-Petersburg 197 046 , Small Posadaskaya str, 30 tel# 7 (812) 238 81 99 fax# 7 (812) 232 33 76 e-mail: elprib@erbi.spb.su
  13. "Aeromechanika, Moscow 107 113, Sokolnichesky Val, 2 tel# 7 (095) 269 92 83 fax# 7 (095) 263 42 85
  14. TSAGI, Moscow 107005, Radio str, 17 tel# 7 (095) 261 18 16, 263 42 48, 263 43 21 fax# 7 (095) 263 42 85
  15. "Dolina", Kuvandyk of Orenburg region 462 220, Shkolhaya str, 5 tel# 7 (35361) 67 606, 67 541, 67 512, 2 18 38 fax# 7 (35361) 21 855, 20 608
  16. "Elmotron", Novosibirsk 630 092, Karl Marx str.,20, bld.,2, room 113 tel# 7 (3832) 46 13 71 fax# 7 (3832) 46 50 61

RUSSIAN PV PANEL PRODUCERS

  1. "Elma", 103 460 Moscow, Zelenograd tel# 7 (095) 531 1556, 531 8351 fax# 7 (095) 530 9205
  2. "Kvant", 129 626 Moscow, 3-rd Mytischenskaya str.,16 tel# 7 (095) 287 9679, 287 9828 fax# 7 (095) 287 1871
  3. "Rusant-Solar", 390 043 Ryazan, Shaburin avenue, 2 tel# 7 (0912) 538 442 fax# 7 (095) 973 0095
  4. "Saturn", 350 072 Krasnodar, Solnechnaya str.,8 tel# 7 (8612) 578 205, 540 776 fax# 7 (8612) 543 592
  5. "Podolsk Chemical-Metalurgical Plant", 142 100 Podolsk, Roschinskaya str.,3 tel# 7 (095) 137 9228, 137 9382 fax# 7 (096) 54 89 17
  6. "Sovlax", 129 626 Moscow, Kulakov per., 15 tel# 7 (095) 287 9758, 284 1589, 284 1090 fax# 7 (095) 286 3567
  7. "Mashinostroenie", 143 952 Reutov of Moscow region, Gagarin str.,33 tel# 7 (095) 302 1375, 302 5090 fax# 7 (095) 302 2001
  8. VIESKH, 109 456 Moscow, 1-st Veshnyakov pr.,2 tel# 7 (095) 174 4640 fax# 7 (095) 170 5101
  9. "Musson", 350 040 Krasnodar, Tamansk str.,180 tel\fax# 7 (8612) 33 85 48
  10. "Kvark", 350 000 Krasnodar, Bazovskogo str.,69 tel\fax# 7 (8612) 55 22 86
  11. "Eksiton", 636 070 Seversk of Tomsk region, P.O.Box 633 tel# 7 (3822) 77 35 37
  12. "Telekom-STV", "ALTIS", 103 527 Moscow, Zelenograd, Solnechnaya alleya 1 tel# 7 (095) 531 8351, 532 9419 fax# 7 (095) 531 8354
  13. "Insolar", 121 309 Moscow, B. Filyovskaya str., 22 tel# 7 (095) 144 9947 tel# 7 (095) 146 9561
  14. LMV-VETROENERGETIKA, 680 030 Khabarovsk, Pavlovicha str., 26 tel# 7 (4212) 21 73 52, 22 13 84 fax# 7 (4212) 22 13 84

RUSSIAN SOLAR COLLECTOR PRODUCERS

  1. "Machinostroeniya", 143 952 Reutov of Moscow region, Gagarin str.,33 tel# 7 (095) 528 3418, 307 1380 fax# 7 (095) 302 2001
  2. "BET-ENIN", 117 927 Moscow, Leninsky prospect,19 tel# 7 (095) 955 3498, 528 0707 fax# 7 (095) 954 42 50
  3. "Daggelioenergomash", Makhachkala tel# 7 (8722) 63 54 65
  4. Kovrov Mechanical Plant, 601 909 Kovrov of Vladimir region, Sotsialisticheskaya str., 26 tel# 7 (09232) 30 912 fax# 7 (09232) 30 912
  5. "Konkurent", 140 160 Zhukovsky of Moscow region, Chkalova str.,44 tel# 7 (095) 556 3898, 556 4009 fax# 7 (095) 556 4038
  6. "Volna AP", 249 020 Obninsk, Kievskoe shosse, VNIISKHRAE tel# 7 (08439) 6 43 35, 6 11 77
  7. "Solto", 113 035 Moscow, P.O.Box 76 tel# 7 (095) 152 7470 e-mail: kadik@rsuh.ru
  8. UREK, 350 015 Krasnodar, Krasnaya str., 124 room 1103 tel\fax# 7 (8612) 57 52 33
  9. Ekoten, 350 000 Krasnodar, Bazovskogo str.,69 tel\fax# 7 (8612) 55 22 86
  10. NAPS, 123 060 Moscow, P.O.Box 12 tel# 7 (095) 194 7322 fax# 7 (095) 194 3060, 194 8040