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National Activities - Czech Republic
Manual for Preparation of Regional Biomass Concepts, Case Study: Southern Bohemia |
SUMMARY
The main aim of this study was to describe the regional development, energy and general ecological aspects of biomass concepts from the initial idea to draft planning and to present methods for comprehensive evaluation and assessment of such projects.
The individual steps and prerequisites for the development of a biomass concept are discussed with particular emphasis on the current situation in the Czech Republic.
The first section describes methods for evaluating the forest biomass situation and includes descriptions of special forms of wood biomass generation. Particular attention is paid to the need for sustainable forest management and broad ecological compatibility. In addition, methods for determining the volume of old wood, remnants and waste from woodworking companies are described and the particular problems with possible use of old wood and bark dumps in the Czech Republic exarnined in detail. Based on the calculated available volumes in the country, priority regions for biomass heating are identified and the critiria for the setting of priorities laid down.
The biomass supply chain (extraction, reduction, drying, storage) and possible variants are discussed in detail.
A general survey is provided of the basic energy and heating engineering principles for the draft planning of projects (methods of calculating heat requirement, connection conditions, heat distribution, choice of heating technology and disposal of waste).
A method of assessing the economic feasibility of biomass projects is described and explained on the basis of a practical example. The specific subsidy requirements and prerequisites for economically viable biomass projects in the Czech Republic are presented and contrasted with the situation in Austria.
Competing or potentially competing energy sources and wood utilisation are discussed. The emissions from specific energy sources with particular focus on the Czech situation are compared and an estimate provided of the emission reduction potential through their replacement by biomass.
Various market criteria decision analyses for comprehensive evaluation and appraisal of biomass concepts are presented and the relationship between regional planning and biomass concepts indicated . In the annex is a check list for project development (from biomass production, energy technology and profitability to socio economic ecological aspects).
INTRODUCTION
The study came about following discussions with regard to possible regional/district heating projects in the Czech Republic, and particularly in Southern Bohemia. Through various environmental activities supported by Austria (e.g. EUPRI, GEPP, UMBERA) considerable efforts have been made on a local scale to improve the unsatisfactory air pollution and emission situation in Czech municipalities. As previous studies (e.g. VITURKA et al., 1992, UMBERA et al., 1993, etc.) have shown, air pollution is caused mainly by the burning of lignite in firing systems of all sizes. The abandonment of this form of pollutant (heat) energy supply is thus a priority aim at municipal and regional level. Various options, e.g. gas, electricity, nuclear energy and biomass, have been discussed in this context.
As biomass is generally regarded as an environmentally friendly fuel, biomass projects have been considered in various localities as a way of resolving the problem of pollution through the burning of lignite. In many cases, however, assessments of the amounts of material available for firing have been unrealistic. Uncoordinated and over optimistic planning of projects could result in over exploitation of forests with negative ecological effects, local biomass shortages, increases in fuel prices and/or competition with other forms of energy.
This study therefore has as its objectives:
Main emphasis is on the ecological, economic and social conditions and background rather
than the questions of energy and heating engineering. These are only dealt with in summary,
as they have already been discussed elsewhere (cf Bibliography) or will be covered by a
planning office at a later stage in the project. Energy issues are dealt with in greater detail,
however, where they are relevant : the analysis and appraisal of basic conditions or to the
socio economic and ecological feasibilitv of a project, to establish at an early date whether a
biomass project is in fact technically realistic. In order to make an effective contribution to
reducing environmental pollution from the energy sector, biomass projects must be incorporated
in a regional (and national) energy supply and environmental concept. Energy saving and direct
utilisation of solar energy (solar collectors and photovoltaics) also need to be considered here
alongside energy from regional biomass exploitation. The different components need
to be coordinated to provide as effective a combination as possible.
The term biomass is used in this study to cover wood in the widest sense
of the word (small sized timber, waste wood, bark, etc.). Other types of biomass
(e.g. straw, grass, cuttings) are not generally included in this analysis as they should
be used primarily for recycling (composting, fertilisati~ humus). Where they are used for
organic fertilisation and humus development (carbon store) agricultural land to replace
commercial oil based fertilisers they can make a valuable contribution improving the carbon
dioxide situation. The cultivation of plants for energy conversion is currently being considered in
the Czech Republic as it is much more economically viable to cultivate plants for food.
Contacts
Contact
© Copyright 2006 Policy Statements
Updated
by CPL Press:
03/07/2007
- biomatnet@biomatnet.org
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