Professional paper
Renewable Energy Sources in the Bjelovar-Bilogora County
Nikola Čupin
Abstract
Current trends regarding power supply are moving towards a change of policy in order to achieve the following aims: (1) energy saving by increasing energy efficiency; (2) increased using of renewable energy sources; and (3) reducing the emission of greenhouse gasses (environment protection).
The Croatian energy strategy supports this policy. The production of electric energy from renewable sources is stimulated, and the same is expected in relation to the production of thermal energy from renewable sources.
The paper describes the types and characteristics of the following renewable sources: wind, water, solar energy, biomass and biogas, as well as geothermal sources.
Croatia is relatively rich in renewable energy sources. Their potential amounts to more than 60 % of primary energy consumption. By their activating, the employment and economic development of Croatia could be considerably increased and the independence of power supply contributed to. The level of contribution from various types of renewable sources differs, depending on the available natural capacities, the development of domestic technology and the characteristics of individual renewable sources.
Energy production from renewable sources should be evaluated in relation to their economic, not only their “electrical” contribution; this national resource should be managed from the aspect of social, not private interest. In this respect, the Association for the Development of Croatia has initiated a project entitled the “Biothermalisation of Croatia”, the recommendation of which is that the domestic industry should install plants for producing electric and thermal energy instead of exporting firewood.
The Bjelovar-Bilogora County is rich in biomass and geothermal sources. The Bjelovar Forest Administration covers seven counties and an area of 133,000 ha. The geothermal source Velika Ciglena is located in the County; a geothermal energy plant (with the power of approximately 4 MW is planned to be built there.
Possibilities for the economic development of the county based on renewable sources, in particular biomass and geothermal sources, are favourable; plans should be made at the county level and private initiative, which is still very young, should be stimulated. E.g. the wood-processing industry in Čazma provides thermal energy from biomass to the school and the gym, and an extension of heating pipe to the city centre is planned.
It is recommended for biomass to be used for building smaller co-generational plants up to 1 MW of electric power and boiler-houses on pellets and chaff, which will use local biomass. Bigger co-generational plants should be avoided due to the lack of thermal consumption and the used-up condition of local roads caused by intensive transport of biomass, which is, in addition to this, environmentally damaging.
Forest is neither a concentrated power source nor is it a coalmine or an oil well; it is spread almost all over Croatia, and the entire population is entitled to make use of it with the aim of regional development, especially the rural population.
Keywords
power supply; energy efficiency; greenhouse gasses; renewable energy sources; biomass
Hrčak ID:
91579
URI
Publication date:
23.10.2012.
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