GGE puts into operation environmentally friendly biomass boilers in school in Pirot

Regional energy services company GGE and the City of Pirot have officially put environmentally friendly and efficient biomass boilers in the elementary school “8. septembar” into operation, as a part of the first public-private partnership (PPP) for heating energy supply in Serbia.

The City of Pirot last year announced a public tender in order to lower heating costs in four schools, improve energy efficiency and lower CO2 emissions. Schools had obsolete and unreliable heating oil boilers, a solution that wasn’t environmentally friendly.

The PPP contract was signed in March between ESCO company  GGE and the City of Pirot.  GGE was tasked with renovating boiler rooms in four schools and with providing efficient and sustainable solutions to replace the existing boilers.

In order to improve efficiency and lower the environmental impact, GGE has started the installation of the biomass boilers in each of selected school. Biomass is locally sourced and environmentally friendly fuel.

The City of Pirot has for many years been implementing systemic measures in the area of environmental protection, improvement of energy efficiency and utilization of renewable energy sources. Pirot’s mayor Vladan Vasić said that a modern heating system on biomass improves efficiency and lowers the environmental impact.

“The old boilers will also be replaced at the Dairy School and in two more elementary schools, Sveti Sava and Dušan Radović. Schools will have modern, environmentally sustainable and quality heating. The private partner will invest RSD 80 million and in the end, we will get cheaper heating in the next 15 years,” said Mayor Vasić during the opening ceremony held yesterday.

According to the GGE Serbia managing director Ankica Barbulov (video interview), the local authorities showed an exceptional cooperation in the realization of the project.

“In the next 15 years, GGE Serbia will fully take care of the heating of these schools. In addition to having reliable systems that will lower CO2 emissions by 420 tons each year, the City of Pirot will save up to 60% of heating costs for the schools. We will also create new jobs the Pirot district,” Barbulov noted.

The opening ceremony was attended by Dr. Stephan Heieck, representative of the GIZ which supported the project.