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Integrated approach to CO2 reduction
Energy conservation, better insulation of houses, sustainable energy production, bioenergy. They are all ways to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, such as CO2. These measures are often implemented, but they are rarely combined in an integrated approach. As manager of the ECOSTILER project (Energy efficient Community Stimulation by use and Integration of Local Energy Resources), KEMA is implementing such an integrated approach. In early September 2005, KEMA and the European Union signed an agreement for the execution of the ECOSTILER project.
The integrated approach involves three elements: not only are various ways of energy conservation and sustainable energy production employed, the plan also involves the integration of various energy-saving technologies.
Integration of options
One of the pillars of the integrated approach is the use of sustainable energy in the form of biomass. The type of biomass is highly dependent on what is (locally) available. In many urban areas biogas is available from the sewer system. This can be burned in special facilities, but it can also be added to the fuel supply of existing waste incineration plants.
Houses that are built to be energy-efficient also provide a substantial contribution. Optimal positioning of windows – so that a great deal of light enters the home –, improved insulation techniques and a more efficient heating system (often in combination with the warm water system) lead to significant savings.
A combination of a central district heating system and electricity generation is also a possibility. In the ECOSTILER project this takes place in an existing area, which is unique. But the concept also offers possibilities for new construction because the network can be specifically designed to provide the most efficient energy supply. The integration of biomass combustion is also possible.
Amsterdam Parkstad
Naturally specific innovations will be implemented wherever possible, depending on the local situation. The integration of a central district heating system, electricity supply and biogas combustion in Amsterdam Parkstad is an example of a solution developed to accommodate the local situation. But the installation of wind turbines, the use of solar energy and the combustion of used cooking oil are also possibilities.
Amsterdam Parkstad – an area comprising 50,000 households – wants to reduce CO2 emissions by 50% in 2015. That must be achieved through energy conservation, solar energy, wind energy, central district heating and biogas combustion. The biogas originates from the sewer treatment plant and, through combustion in an existing waste incineration plant, can lead to energy efficiency improvements from 50 to 90 percent.
Continuous development
There are a lot of opportunities for projects like ECOSTILER. New possibilities are continuously investigated, both socio-economically (the extent to which the projects are socially and financially feasible) and technically (for the application of new or refined technologies). ECOSTILER includes Amsterdam Parkstad, Londen Southwark and Måbjerg (Denmark). Great Britain, Slovenia, Italy and Spain have all expressed their interest in the results of the project.
ECOSTILER is sponsored by the European Union's Concerto program and there are more EU projects of this type that are intended to reduce CO2 emissions. The Concerto program was especially created to support local communities in developing concrete initiatives that involve both energy savings and sustainable energy sources.
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