Local energy for a CO2-free neighbourhood
About this good practice
The photovoltaic plant in Krásné Pole, a city district of Ostrava, was constructed in 2010, on the rooftop of the elementary school (a municipally owned building). The plant has a performance of 30 kWp. In 2015, a cogeneration unit with a performance of 231 kW thermal energy and 164 kW electric energy, was installed in the same building. The cogeneration unit focuses on the combined production of electricity and heat. In 2017, both energy resources were connected through a joint transformer. The project managed to merge all electricity recipients in the neighbouring buildings (elementary school, kindergarten, school cafeteria) in a single circuit breaker.
The cogeneration unit has solved the problem of replacing old gas-fired boilers in the elementary school. The city district is the owner of a licence for producing electricity, heat and for the distribution of heat. The produced electricity is being profitably sold by the local municipality to local consumers. Beneficiaries of this smart, CO2-free solution are both the municipality (the city district) and the local community, including children of the local elementary school. Important is also the dissemination of good practice in a neighbourhood at the outskirts of Ostrava, a former coalmining city.
Resources needed
The costs were 9 mil. CZK + VAT. The projects were financed from the city budget, as “pilot projects”.
Evidence of success
The project offers a solide, CO2-free and profitable solution for the energy demand of public buildings. In 2021, it gained a profit of 270 ths. CZK. The “Covid year” 2021 though cannot be seen as robust, neighter as representative. According to experts, the combined work of photovoltaics and cogeneration should normally generate a profit of 750 ths. CZK p.a. By 100 % operating time (3,000 hours per year) and the highest level of functionality, the profit would reach even 1,350 ths. CZK p.a.
Potential for learning or transfer
The cogeneration unit for the elementary school combines heating by energy from renewable resources on one hand, and a CO2-free production of electricity on the other hand. The subsequent project of combining two energy resources (a photovoltaic plant and the cogeneration unit), has brought savings as an effect of merging both energy production sites.
The main objective was to produce electricity from renewable resources (photovoltaic plant, cogeneration). The cogeneration unit has the plus effect of creating a clean, local source of heat for public buildings for the city district (elementary school, kindergarten, school cafeteria and a new sports hall). At the same time, the cogeneration unit and the photovoltaic plant produce electricity on a literally “municipal” level.