Using geothermal energy to heat the City of Uniejów
About this good practice
Replacement of the traditional heating system, based mainly on burning coal, with alternative heat from geothermal waters allows to significantly reduce emissions as follows: SO₂ - 81.9%/year; CO - 80.5%/year; NO₂ - 80.3%/year; dust - 100%/year
The heat plant with a total capacity of 7.4 MW (of which 3.2 MW comes from the system of receiving heat from geothermal waters, 1.8 MW from a biomass-fired peak load boiler house and 2.4 MW from oil-fired peak load boilers, which currently serve as a reserve) provides heat supply to about 80% of the buildings in Uniejów. It replaces boiler plants fired with conventional energy sources and contributes to the achievement of a favourable environmental effect. Circulation water is supplied to the consumers by means of a set of circulating pumps. These pumps operate in a continuous control system and have a total capacity of 360 m³/h. The entire heating system is controlled and monitored by an integrated computer system.
The practice was reached by installing pre-insulated pipes in the heating network in Uniejów (13 km). The pipe network is adapted to the parameters of heating water 70/35°C. The hot water supply is provided by two two-stage exchangers.
The recipients of energy coming from the geothermal heat plant in Uniejów are mainly individual housing farms (70%), housing cooperatives, public sector buildings, companies and tourist and recreational facilities managed by Uniejów Thermal Baths.
Resources needed
It is necessary to have geothermal water resources. The next step is to adopt the current infrastructure - piping system to transfer the geothermal water.
The construction of the piping system with all facilities cost EUR 2,38 million gross.
Evidence of success
Through the start-up of a geothermal heat plant has brought the city a significant reduction in emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide emissions decreased from 5500 tons/year to 180 tons/year and carbon monoxide from 300 tons/year to 0.05 tons/year. Sulphur dioxide pollution from almost 40 tonnes/year to 0.14 tonnes/year, nitrogen oxides from 3 tonnes/year to 0.5 tonnes/year or dust 9ze 135 tonnes/year to 0.28 tonnes/year were also significantly reduced.
Potential for learning or transfer
The project can be replicated in the places/regions that have geothermal water resource. This is a big chance for villages/cities/regions to reduce air pollution caused by coal combustion. This practice is particularly important for long-term using geothermal water as a resource of heating. Taking advantage of geothermal water is very often the only way to use renewable energy source if the place does not have chance to use solar or wind energy.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Geotermia Uniejów Sp. z o.o