The USAID Energy Security Project (USAID ESP) and the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine held a workshop on waste heat utilization as an integral element of efficient district heating. This event is the first of a series of educational seminars on developing of efficient heat supply systems.
Opening the seminar, the Deputy Director of the Office of Critical Infrastructure at USAID/Ukraine Kathleen Kirsch noted that efficient energy generation, reduced dependence on fossil fuels, decarbonization, and reliable access to heat and electricity for consumers are all key aspects of USAID’s work in Ukraine through the Energy Security Project. “We are working closely with the government, local authorities, and utilities to provide emergency assistance to local communities and district heating (DH) utilities in the form of cogeneration units, mobile boiler houses, and other equipment to meet the immediate needs of communities and increase the energy resilience of municipal critical infrastructure,” said Ms. Kirsch. She added that Ukraine needs to use every opportunity to improve reliability, efficiency, and security of its energy supply. Diversification of energy sources, such as renewable energy and waste heat utilization, will help to enhance the country’s energy security.
Vasyl Shkurakov, First Deputy Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, said that the Ministry is developing a state-targeted economic program for the energy modernization of heat generation companies. He thanked USAID ESP for the fruitful joint work on identifying the best technical solutions for modernizing of district heating systems.
“Together with our international partners, we are trying to find solutions that will enable us to enter the next heating season with an understanding of its challenges. We are paying special attention to cogeneration, enabling the creation of energy-efficient district heating systems and uninterrupted provision of the relevant utility services,” said Mr. Shkurakov.
During the first of a series of technical workshops dedicated to the development of efficient heat supply systems, the participants considered organizational and technical issues of waste heat utilization, in particular in terms of its role in improving the energy and economic efficiency of heat supply systems, possible technical solutions for waste heat utilization and the technical and economic impact on heat supply systems, and learned about the experience of waste heat application and the potential for its use at district heating companies.
The heat supply expert at USAID ESP Vadym Matkovskyi presented key European trends and prospects for waste heat utilization for decarbonization of district heating systems. The expert noted that EU energy legislation prioritizes the direct use of waste heat for district heating, and recognizes it as a source of clean energy, a criterion for achieving efficient DH (with the requirement to gradually increase its share by 2050), and as an element of “green” financing for heat production in district heating systems.
The issue of waste heat utilization is important because it offers the opportunity to reduce dependence on fossil fuels in the future, ensure the sustainability and reliability of heat supply for consumers, reducing greenhouse gas and harmful substance emissions from heat production, increasing the industry’s competitiveness, and slow down the growth of heat prices.
USAID ESP Heat Supply Expert Yevhen Oliinyk noted that the regulatory framework for the development and implementation of equipment for the use of waste heat needs to be improved. This issue concerns both the standardization of terminology and requirements for construction projects. It is equally important to define clear goals and incentives for implementing such projects at the state level.
Heat supply companies have great potential for implementing energy-saving measures related to utilizing heat energy at their generation facilities and the possibility of selling such energy. Modern technologies can increase the efficiency of fuel energy use by 4-11% using waste heat, and in some cases even by 15-20%.
USAID ESP Experts shared the results of the survey of heat supply enterprises regarding the use of waste heat:, showing that:
- Most of the companies have no experience in operating economizers;
- Insignificant practical experience of using economizers and heat recovery units for typical steam and hot water boilers, including those with a capacity of more than 10 MW;
- the need of additional incentives and support in implementing successful pilot projects.
“Given the potential benefits and amounts of heat that are currently being wasted in various sectors, it is extremely important to promote cost-effective waste heat utilization in district heating systems as one of the priorities of Ukraine’s state policy,” added USAID ESP Heat Supply Expert Vadym Matkovskyi.
The Seminar speakers also presented their vision on the following topics:
– Contact-surface heat recovery unit to increase the efficiency of the district heating system. – Oleksii Abdulin, LOTA LLC;
– Condensing technologies for medium- and high-capacity boiler houses and economizers for heat recovery. Design and application features. – Victor Trembovelsky, Deputy Director, Viessmann LLC;
– Experience in developing and implementing systems to utilize waste heat from energy equipment. – Ruslan Zhylkovskiy, Chief Engineer, LLC TKC;
– Specifics of condensing economizers application in Ukrainian district heating companies. – Volodymyr Maistryshyn, Partner, Energy Case LLC;
- Using heat pumps to utilize waste heat by district heating companies. - Kyrylo Baranchuk, Technical Support Engineer, Danfoss LLC.
More on how European legislation defines “waste heat” (based on EU Directive 2018/2001 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources) on link https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02018L2001-20231120