Challenge / Goal
The current district heating system in Hajnówka, in eastern Poland, is largely based on a central coal-fired system. This system is very CO2-intensive, partly due to the use of low-grade coal in the furnace.
The town of Hajnówka has a strong interest in reducing CO2 emissions as it is located on the edge of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve of the Białowieża National Park and wants to protect it. This national park is home to one of the last natural primeval forests in Europe and is home to bison, also known as European bison.
Solution
In the "Renewable Power-to-Heat in Hajnówka" funding project, the 100 prozent erneuerbar stiftung aims to tackle this problem in a pilot region in eastern Poland. Together with local and European partners, an innovative solution is being proposed that will have a significant impact on decarbonization and at the same time promote the integration of the energy system: the use of electricity from renewable energies to generate heat (renewable power to heat).
The idea is to develop an energy concept in which electricity from regional wind and solar plants can be used for large heat pumps to replace coal in the existing district heating system in Hajnówka1 (district and city). The concept is intended to serve as a feasibility study, which will then serve as the basis for the implementation planning for the development of a fully renewable and almost completely decarbonized integrated district heating system in this region.
Funded by the European Climate Initiative (EUKI), the project aims to create a basis for public and private investment. There is also a chance that funds from the European Economic Recovery Plan can be activated for the implementation of the decarbonization of the district heating system in the Hajnówka district.
The example of Hajnówka should have a lighthouse effect and serve as best practice in Poland, but also become known in other EU member states due to its good compliance with the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP).
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Log inTime period
Planning time
1 to 2 years
Implementers
Powiat Hajnowka
End users
All citizens