SOLUTION Site Hartberg
In the Hartberg eco-region in Austria, the SOLUTION project has served as a catalyst for the development of advanced communal demonstrations using an implemented bottom-up approach. Targeted activities included improvements in the energy efficiency of buildings with 70 % energy savings, the construction of new commercial buildings with an energy performance close to zero-energy consumption, decentralised district heating systems and polygeneration, large-scaled implementation of small and medium renewable energy systems applications, symbiotic integration of novel solar electricity storage units, improvements in the framework for potential private investors, and the promotion of innovative integration aspects of renewable energies.
*The KPIs for the new buildings are compared with the baseline of a reference building.
The demonstration site in Hartberg consists of 6 refurbished and 8 new buildings. Overall a gross floor area of 5679 m² has been refurbished in the project and 4609 m² have been newly constructed.
The energy consumption figures were monitored before and after the works, and were 250 kWh/m²/yr and 93 kWh/m²/yr respectively as average for the buildings included in the project.
The CO2 emissions were reduced by 185 tonnes of CO2 every year. The primary energy savings were 3292 MWh per year.
Financial & Economic
Country |
Encountered barriers |
Solution |
---|---|---|
Austria |
The two biogas CHPs in the Ecopark Hartberg have been in operation since 2004 and needed renovation as the plant’s efficiency faced challenges with the hydraulic system and the connected cooling absorption device, which is used for summer operations. The use of waste heat represented the most critical parameter. |
In order to optimise the operation of the CHP applications, a continuous and rather constant heat demand at the plant’s location was envisaged in order to run the plant economically. |
Austria |
With crystalline silicon (c-Si) module technologies clearly dominating the worldwide market, some thin film modules are not always compatible with all the inverter types available on the market. |
The whole set-up, including market availability, needed to be checked and considered in the planning phase. |
Social
Country |
Encountered barriers |
Solution |
---|---|---|
Austria |
There is a lack of social awareness on the impact of individual behaviours on energy consumption. |
One very effective way is to give people periodic feedback on their energy consumption. Such feedback can be delivered in a variety of ways, of which the best but most expensive is to use installed in-home displays. Another possibility is to use internet portals that the consumer can log on to and have all their data displayed. The simplest way to deliver feedback is by using an ordinary letter every month with an overview of last month’s energy consumption. |
Challenges
Country |
Description |
---|---|
Austria |
Many mistakes were made by the workers due to a lack of routine and skills. |
Austria |
The team faced challenges trying to access funding for renewable energy sources (solar energy, wind power and hydropower) because each programme had different criteria for eligibility and different payment modalities, which do not facilitate the process. |
Austria |
In comparison with conventional bulk electricity prices, the costs for solar power are still higher. |
Austria |
There is a strong dependency on public funds. |
Austria |
Difficulties occur in the building integration of photovoltaics systems due to limited spaces and/or difficult interchangeability with standard building components. |
The implemented measures in Hartberg included:
Energy efficiency in buildings
- Heat pumps
Energy systems integration
- Biomass boilers
- Thermal collectors
- District heating and cooling
- Biomass
- District heating extension in Hartberg/Neusafenau and in Kaindorf
- Heat exchanger system for cooling
- Photovoltaics
- Combined with battery units
- Cogeneration (CHP)
- Building energy management system
- Mechanical heating and ventilation system
According to the design data, the yearly cost savings for energy come to EUR 51 211. Based on the available financial data and the lack of investment costs, a payback calculation is not possible.
The CONCERTO actions in Hartberg include improvements of:
- the energy efficiency in buildings with 70% energy savings;
- construction of new commercial buildings with an energy performance of a passive house standard as exemplary pilot projects;
- decentralised district heating systems and polygeneration;
- large-scaled implementation of small/medium RES applications and symbiotic integration of novel electricity storage units and improvements of the framework for potential private investors and promotion of the innovative integration aspects of renewables.
Within five years, these measures should enable a 33% saving of energy consumed, and a 44% increase in the share of renewable energies and that there will be zero carbon emissions achieved in 2015.
There will be zero carbon emissions achieved in 2015. The foreseen model area includes two dimensions of integration:
- the light house projects and related work
- the early adapting follow-up communities encouraged by target group specific dissemination activities
- Estimated population involved: 14,000
- Approx. geographical area coverage: 120 km2
- Approx. energy saving: 33 %
- Approx. energy from RES: 44 %