Renewables

EBRD webinar: Green and resilient go hand in hand in district energy

Green and resilient go hand in hand in district energy

Published

June 30, 2020

Country

Comments

0

Share

Published:

June 30, 2020

Country:

Comments:

0

Share

In most countries where EBRD is active, the pandemic struck when the winter was ending, so the consequences could have been much worse. Experts say green and resilient in district energy are not conflicting options and that focusing on efficiency alone instead of lifting the share of renewables brings the risk of running out of time in terms of climate change.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development held an online discussion to address the possibilities for a resilient, low carbon district energy in the age of COVID-19. Greg Gebrail and Bojan Bogdanović, who wrote a policy paper on the response to the coronavirus, stressed investments in infrastructure in the sector are the key factor. At the same time, there is not necessarily a choice between green solutions and resilience in district energy, they said.

Prioritizing energy efficiency measures within the scope of fossil fuel technology instead of pushing for renewables carries the risk of running out of time when it comes to the climate challenge, according to Managing Director of Euroheat and Power Paul Voss.

No additional expenditure will go to waste

As the pandemic struck, most countries where EBRD operates were near the end of winter and the challenge to the sector would have been worse if it happened just one month earlier, Gebrail noted. As there is a risk of the disease hitting again later in the year, focus must be placed on the resilience of the district heating infrastructure, he underscored at the webinar.

The specialist from the bank’s sustainable infrastructure group warned against cutting back on essential maintenance activities in the face of economic hardship. “Even if this second wave doesn’t come to pass, this preparation and additional expenditure would not go to waste,” he said and highlighted the potential in automation, system monitoring and large-scale thermal storage.

Air quality is top priority amid COVID-19 pandemic

The paper was created with the intention to provide a checklist for people in the industry and decision makers in cities and government, Bogdanović asserted.

In the meantime, several studies pointed to a direct correlation between air pollution and mortality from COVID-19, he stated. In the Western Balkans and other places where the EBRD is present, there were major issues with air pollution during the past winter, Bogdanović told participants and concluded it became the most important topic.

District heating can bring green energy where others cannot

He said district heating and cooling systems are the tool to fight pollution. Furthermore, in Bogdanović’s view, the expansion in heating must be provided from renewable sources and not fossil fuels.

Green energy is a necessity but also an opportunity as district heating can bring renewable energy where others cannot, he said. The fund manager of the EBRD’s Renewable District Energy in the Western Balkans (ReDEWeB) pointed to ongoing projects like heat pumps utilizing waste heat from wastewater treatment facilities in Valjevo and Šabac in Serbia.

Comments (0)

Be the first one to comment on this article.

Enter Your Comment
Please wait... Please fill in the required fields. There seems to be an error, please refresh the page and try again. Your comment has been sent.

Related Articles

eenergy call application grants to SMEs to increase energy efficiency

Application open for grants to SMEs to increase energy efficiency

06 March 2024 - The EENergy project is funded by the EU’s Single Market Program (SMP) for support to small and medium-sized enterprises

European heat pump sales drop 2023 layoffs

European heat pump sales drop in 2023, resulting in layoffs

29 February 2024 - Heat pump sales tumbled 4.7% last year in 14 countries tracked by the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA)

IFC loan Serbia largest biomass CHP decarbonize paper industry

IFC approves loan for Serbia’s largest biomass CHP project to decarbonize paper industry

26 February 2024 - IFC facilitated a loan package of EUR 106 million for Serbian tissue paper producer Drenik ND, which is about to build a biomass CHP plant

montenegro eco fund subsidies heat pump solar panels

Montenegro subsidizes solar panels, heat pumps for municipalities

21 February 2024 - The Montenegrin Eco Fund has prepared subsidies in the total value of EUR 150,000