Combining Ecology & Economy Challenges for CHP/DHC in the New EU Countries

20Jan
2004

Speaker: Lubos PAVLAS, CEO, Prague District Heating Company, and Chairman of the Czech District Heating Association

According to the Commission’s Green Paper on “Security of Supply”, the heat market is responsible for more than one third of Europe’s final energy demand.

In most of the new EU countries, this demand is covered to a great extent by district heating systems (average market share 40% vs. 10% in the “old” EU countries) and heat compares to gas and electricity in terms of supplies.  xx 

District heating (DH), in particular in connection with combined heat and power (CHP), thus constitutes an important factor in the energy economy in this region and is perceived as integral part of energy conservation policies. However, in their efforts to combine ecology and economy, the actors of the sector are facing numerous challenges – in particular related to historic heritage preventing cost-effective operations and investments.

M. Pavlas highlighted strategic and political issues of energy market transformation in the light of the experience of companies in the Czech Republic.

At the invitation of Euroheat & Power and MVV Energie AG, two of its associate members, the European Energy Foundation organised a delegation visit to Mannheim CHP plant (Grosskraftwerk Mannheim) on 13 January 2004.