News update April 2020

Vattenfall in partnership with Cory Riverside Energy and Inventa Partners for development of central heating in South East London, South Tyneside buildings to be provided with heat from an abandoned coal mine, and UK Government is seeking views on new options for future low carbon heating.

Vattenfall strikes deal with Cory Riverside Energy to supply South East London Homes with centralised heating

Vattenfall and the waste to energy operator Cory Riverside Energy has agreed on a partnership giving Vattenfall the rights to capture heat from the Belvedere waste incinerator in South East London, which could be distributed to a centralised heat system to provide approximately 10,500 homes with heating. Jointly the companies are working on an application for funding from Government’s Heat Networks Investment Project in order to develop, construct and manage the heat network.
Read more in press release from Vattenfall>
Read more in press release from Cory Riverside Energy>

Abandoned coal mines in South Tyneside to be used for geothermal energy

Geothermal energy will be drawn from flooded coal mines in South Tyneside, North East England, in order to heat the council’s buildings. For completing the project, £3.5 million of funding have been been secured from the European Regional Development Fund. The project is part of  a renewable energy scheme that is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 319 tonnes, and a step to reach the regions goal of carbon neutrality in 2030.
Read more in press release from South Tyneside Council>

Heat networks consumer protection in challenging times

A new consumer protection agreement has been agreed between members of the Heat Networks Industry Council. Considering current challenges, measures agreed include ensuring all customers remain supplied with energy, heating and hot water through challenging times and supporting customers in financial distress. The agreement is signed by the Heat Networks Industry Council chair, EDF Energy, ENGIE, Energetik, E.ON, Pinnacle Power, SSE Heat Networks Ltd, Switch2, Vattenfall, Veolia and Vital Energi.
Read more in press release from the ADE>

The UK Government seeks views on options for the future support in low carbon heating

Beyond the Renewable Heat Incentive  the UK Government has put forward an open consultation on new proposals for low carbon heating. The proposals that have been put forward concern A Green Gas Support Scheme for increasing proportion of green gas in the grid and a Clean Heat Grant for limiting upfront cost barriers related heat pump and in certain cases biomass.
Find additional documents and impact assessment released by UK Gov >

The Swedish market for pellet increased by 8.3 % in 2019

The total amount of pellets consumed 2019 increased by 155,622 tonnes or correspondingly 0.7 TWh, based on a survey and research conducted by Tidningen Bioenergi. Three new pellets factory was also opened in Sweden during the same year. In total Sweden more than 2 million tons of pellets were consumed in Sweden 2019.
Read more in article from BioEnergy International>

PetroBio to supply pellet burners for district heating in Norway

The city of Jesseheim in Norway has ordered two pellets burners from Swedish PetroBio. The burners will be used as a total solution to run the city’s district heating, and has a capacity of 4.4 MW and 6.4 MW. PetroBio’s solution is designed to increase capacity for the future and support Jessehiem city’s long term plan to invest in sustainable district heating. Operations are scheduled to begin in end of summer 2020
Read more in article from BioEnergy-news>

Sweden is the third European country to become coal free

Sweden becomes the third coal free country in Europe as Stockholm Exergi closes its coal-fired combined heat and power plant in Värtaverket. The plant had been supplying Stockholm with heat and power since 1989, and it’s closure marks a milestone in the transition to sustainable energy production as Sweden reach its goal of becoming coal free two years ahead of schedule.
Read more in article from Euractive>
Read more in press release from Stockholm Exergi>

Swedish CEOs urge Europe’s leaders to use to the covid-19 station for increasing sustainability and technology investments

In conversation with Financial Times the CEOs of Volvo Group and Swedbank say that policymakers should use stimulus packages to create for creating the future they desire. Jens Henrikson, CEO of Swedbank, suggests using the crisis to take a step forward and kick-start the economy in a way so that it becomes more sustainable. On a similar note, Martin Lundstedt, CEO of Volvo Group, says that important long-term challenges can serve as a way out of the crisis, such as sustainable transport, renewable energy, and a permanent recycling infrastructure.
Read more in article from Financical Times>

Major geothermal project has been initiated in Paris region

Engie Solutions has finalized the deep drilling to access geothermal heat at 1,900 meters underground. The access to groundwater will generate a heating temperature of approximately 70 degrees Celsius with a flow rate of 350 cubic meters per hour. The geothermal plant will be operational in 2021 and will substantially improve the local district heating’s network energy mix that will run on 82% renewable energy, giving heat access to 10,000 household equivalents.  The project value amounts to 40 MEUR, whereof 6 MEUR and 4 MEUR are subsidized by ADEME and the Ile-de-France region respectively.
Read more in article from Enerzine (in French)>

The French district heating association FNCCR has assessed the impact of covid-19 pandemic on French networks

FNCCR has assessed the impact of the current covid-19 crisis on daily operationsbinterviewing local district heating companies throughout FranceThe major change has been noted in an increase of fossil fuel in the networks’ energy mix. By favouring an automatic steering of the networks, to minimize the need for manual labour in biomass power plants, natural gas has become prioritised energy source. By increasing the importance of natural gas in the energy mix, some district heating networks are at risk of not meeting stipulated energy mix rates in their respective public service delegation agreements. With a certain level of renewable energy rate, district heating networks benefit from a lower VAT rate at 5,5 %. Another short to medium term concern is the possible price hike in wood related products to fuel biomass plants, as supply has fallen sharply due to confinement measures. 

If you’re interested in knowing more about political incentives driving the development of the French district heating industry,
Download our dedicated report here> 
Read more in article from Batiactu (in French)>

How the UK could use waste heat in district heating

If the UK reused waste heat from its buildings and industrial processes, it could be used to supply 14% of the hot water and heating demand in UK homes, says FairHeat’s Lina Aglén. As the potential for waste heat in the UK energy system is largely unknown, Lina Aglén prepared a case study for the CIBSE Technical Symposium that aims to create a basis for discussion around the potential for waste heat in the UK.
Read more in article from the CIBSE Journal>

Ministerial round-table on economic recovery through investments in clean energy

In April IEA arranged a ministerial round-table with three key objectives. Enabling energy ministers to discuss the current situation, share best practices and re-affirm political clean energy commitments. To discuss how to create a economic stimulus plans for increasing growth and  jobs though investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Read more in announcement from IEA>

Ulaanbaatar gets funding from The World Bank to improve district heating

The World Bank has granted the Mongolia $53 M to finance the Ulaanbaatar Heating Sector Improvement Project and the Third Sustainable Livelihood Project. $41 M will be directed towards district heating, including expanding transmission capacity and improve efficiency of the district heating network. The project also includes the replacement of poorly insulated and leaking pipes and expansion loops, and modernising pumping stations. It will also strengthen the capacity of state owned Ulaanbaatar District Heating Company, and support policy and institutional reforms.  The overall goal is to to meet increasing demand for heating services and improved air quality.
Read more in press release from The World Bank>

China news update

China prepares to accelerate public investments – the “new infrastructure” to kick-start its economy following the Covid-19 shutdowns. The National Development Reform Commission (NDRC) requested comments on a plan to support the construction of waste incineration power generation projects. The State Council has decided to strengthen the renovation of old urban communities.
Read more in our dedicated China news update>

 

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