District heating - far distance heating
West Norway - Ålesund County
PROJECT TEAM & PARTNERS
- Tafjord Kraft AS Ålesund og Sula E-verk
- Ålesund Municipality/City of Ålesund
CONTRACT VALUE - 300,000,000 NOK
FUNDING - Private
TIMESCALE - 2 Years
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT
In February 2009 the mayor of Ålesund Bjørn Tømmerdal was amongst the mayors who signed the covenant of mayors in Brussels. The city takes the environment seriously, and has been working on renewable energy for many years. Ålesund municipality is the place in Norway that is using the biggest amount of distance district heating (measured per citizen, but also in total amount). Distance heating has two sources in Ålesund; the waste combustion centre in Grautneset and the heat pump sea based in Blixvalen. It is the energy company Tafjord Kraft that is producing the waterborn distance heating to the clients in the bigger part of Ålesund. The municipality owns more than 50% of the stocks in the company. A new combustion oven has been installed and when the new combustion central is finalised in autumn 2009 the available distance hearing energy will be 150 million kWh per year, with an electricity production of max 28 million kWh.
Distance heating from the combustion centre at Gratneset has
been delivered since 1987 and later on the net was developed for
the heating from the sea based heat pumps in the city centre of
Ålesund. This development took place between 1987 and 1997.
Today the district heating is gathered in the company Tafjord
Kraftvarme and the two different distance heating nets are now
interlinked into one system. This linking together of two energy
systems was a project in itself. A cable of 9 kilometres was put
down to make the two systems one. This also allowed the
Ålesund area to benefit from excess energy on the sea based
system. The municipality of Ålesund has an agreement with
Tafjord Kraft AS that they would only receive renewable energy to
all municipal work units. In 2009 all fuel heating is being phased
out. In the municipality of Ålesund the district heating
constitutes approximately 12 % of energy needs for heating (2008).
When the new combustion oven has been installed from 2010 the
capacity will be almost double. In Norway district heating only
constitutes approx. 2 % of energy needs for heating. This is a very
low number compared to similar countries. One of the main reasons
district heating has low penetration in Norway is access to cheap
hydro based electricity. Today the city of Ålesund is working
on a bigger development project towards the sea side south of the
city. A city plan regulating this development has put a goal and
demands on the architectural and environmental challenges. It is an
exciting project which has good possibilities for good and
energetic and environmental solutions (for example using district
heating and sea based heat pumps). The buildings will be used for
multiple purposes housing, commerce, offices culture and
restaurants buildings. This planning with future vision on many
levels including the energy solutions will constitute an added
value to the City of Ålesund.
PROJECT TARGETS
• To use distance heating as an energy source for as many
people as possible.
• Be able to transfer the energy to areas where as many
smaller entities as possible could be hooked on to the system. The
cabling is expensive and can be limiting to maximising the use of
this energy source.
Strategies for goal achievements:
1. Work to implement measures to improve energy efficiency and
promote transition to other renewable energy sources than hydro
power in existing buildings.
2. Work to ensure that new buildings in Ålesund municipality
are built in an energy-efficient manner, and with energy
consumption based on other renewable energy sources than hydro
power, such as low energy residences and distance heating.
3. Contribute to expanding delivery of - and connection to -
long-distance heating.
CHALLENGES FACED
One of the barriers were the interlinking of the two different heating systems; one on waste combustion and the other on sea based heat pump.
The pipes between the two systems were to be put in an existing bridge over the sea, however this was too complicated and it was decided to put the pipes under the water which was a much easier. The team was solution oriented and this helped progressing and overcoming barriers.
INNOVATIVE PRACTICE
Long-distance heating from the combustion centre at Grautneset and the sea based heat pump in the city centre of Ålesund has been delivered since 1987. Ålesund has also worked actively on energy conservation measures in its own buildings. Strategies related to energy consumption and energy supply in Ålesund have been dealt with in several reports specifically in the Municipal Plan (2008) "Ålesund 2020" and the Strategic energy plan (2008).
This entails a municipal involvement aimed at two mail goals; a solid reduction in the use of electricity for heating and, to a certain extent, the elimination of oil-based heating systems in the municipality.
Various energy conservation measures will also have a role in this picture. Through these plans, the municipality of Ålesund will proceed towards implementing growth during the period covered by the plan, without increasing the overall environmental consequences associated with using energy.
LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS
In 1999 a new permission was given by the authorities to develop
distance heating in the Ålesund area, and this gave way to the
development of the system.
• Municipal plan "Ålesund 2020"
• Strategic energy plan for Ålesund (2008-2012)
• Planning and Bulding Act
LESSONS LEARNT & APPLICABILITY IN OTHER
SITUATIONS
1. The climate and energy strategy that was adopted by the municipality´s is used as a basis and regards energy issues in cases under the Planning and Building Act.
2. The possibilities of using distance heating plants must be explored in the local energy and climate plan.
3. Within the building area, the general rule for new development and/or renovation installation of heating plants that are ready for connection to distance heating (cf. Building Technology Regulations TEK o7).
4. In cases where there is a license of delivery of district heating based on new, renewable energy, and there is decision of the Planning and Building Act, buildings must be equipped with a heating plant enabling the use of distance heating.
CONTACT DETAILS
Merete Mikkelsen
Director West Norway Office
Rue Archimède 17,1000 Brussels
Tel. +32 2 285 00 01
E-mail: merete.mikkelsen@west-norway.no
Web address: www.west-norway.no
