The main goals of the investment starting in 1997 were to reduce the air pollution caused by coal combustion in boilers, to limit the heat consumption of the city and to provide the new ecological technology of heat production from straw combustion.

The investment was implemented in two phases.

The first phase of the project between 1997 and 1999 included the following actions: Construction of the straw-fired boiler (total power 1 MW) with a straw warehouse (800 m²) Purchasing of the special press with tractor for straw reception and delivering it to the boiler

• Liquidation of 7pcs 748 kW boilers and construction of 7 heat exchanger distribution centres with heat connections
• Modernization of 28 heat distribution centres with a total power of 12 400 kW
• Construction of the straw-fired boiler (total power 1 MW) with a straw warehouse (800 m²)
• Purchasing of the special press with tractor for straw reception and delivering it to the boiler

• The construction of a boiler house with a total install power of 7 MW (two straw firing boilers, type WCO 160 S - 3.5 MW) containing the technological equipment, also boiler house building and straw warehouse (1 000 m²)
• Purchasing of two high squeeze press assemblies with tractor

TECHNOLOGY

The three straw firing boilers (two of them type WCO 160 S) have a total installed capacity of 8 MW.

At Lubań the heat distribution centres were modernized through installing automatic heat control systems. The heat network was enhanced with the use of pre-insulation pipes (their current share is 51%). The boiler houses can use coal boilers as well as split straw boilers. Total installed power amounts to 8 MW with efficiency of 84%.

In addition, the heated buildings indoor installations were partially modernized, conducted by administrators.

Moreover, during the realization of the straw boiler houses project a special group of cooperating companies was created including ZUK Stąporków, “Waryñski-Toruñ" Sp.z.o.o., Ecoinstal Koœcian and REKA AS.

The total amount of heat sale per year is 7 000 000 PLN.

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ECONOMIC ASPECTS

The total cost of the project amounted to 6 397 800 PLN. Of this 43% was financed by a donation from EcoFund Foundation (EkoFundusz) the revenues of which consists of the funds received from the Polish-debt-for-environment-swap Scheme pursuant to agreements signed by Poland with the USA, France, Switzerland, Italy and Norway. Another 20% was given as a credit by The Voivodeship Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (WFOŚiGW).

Compared to the previous system, the price stabilization of services could also be achieved through the investment.

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SOCIAL EFFECTS

During the investment the project's media coverage was on a national level. 2 000 people have visited the heating system since the start of operation. The project increased the periodic job demand (mainly in the summer season) and created two new permanent jobs also connected to the biomass demand.

The heating costs could be reduced by 15% for the final consumers. The implementation of the technology created real system using biomass as potential source of energy.

The following information has been given to people interested in the project:

• 10 topical conferences organized
• a few dozen participations in national and international conferences
• 3 information brochures published
• several master's theses written

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ENVIROMENTAL EFFECTS

	me.	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003
Amount of heat production from straw	GJ	-	84	6 725	14 038	30 836	55 819	54 824
Straw consumption	t	-	9	718	1 345	2 831	5 578	5 069
Amount of heat production from hard coal	Gj	200 275	200 191	161 334	147 382	146 331	118 339	117 654
Coal consumption	t	10 470	11 827	9 781	7 822	7 734	6 099	5 965

Structure of the fuel conversion

type of pollution	emission per year before (t/y)	emission per year after (t/y)	environmental impact absolut value (t/y)	environmental impact relative value (%)
so2	72,1	19,1	68,0	10 573,2
no2	2,8	14,0	4,2	0,0
particulate matter	69,3	5,1	63,8	10 573,2
co2	96,1	26,7	93,8	100,0

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DIFFICULTIES, PROBLEMS

The main difficulties connected to the project were problems with the organization of the biomass (straw) supply - because the supply system had to be built up first - the increasing costs of obtaining biomass and that there are no visible effects of straw firing implementation on tangible profits in CO₂ emission trading.

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FURTHER INFORMATION

PEC Lubań S.p.z.o.o.
Pl. 3 Maja 11

Krzysztof Kowalczyk

Tel: 0 75 722 43 79 w. 25 - 0 602 186 113
E-mail: pecluban_dti@op.pl

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