House owners in Kristianstad switched to district heating following campaign

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beST PrACTICe eXAMPLeS enerGY SwITCh KLIMP – CLIMATe InVeSTMenT PrOGrAMMe FebrUArY 2011

Photograph: erik Karlsson/Jönsson bilder Ab

house owners in Kristianstad switched

to district heating following campaign

More than 600 detached houses in Kristianstad changed from oil and electricity to dis-trict heating as their source of heating following a successful campaign by the munici-pality. Into the bargain, electricity production was increased with the aid of biofuels and the heating economics of households was improved.

The Municipality of Kristianstad has been running a successful campaign since 2002 to persuade owners of detached houses to switch from oil-fired or electric boilers to district heating. With further incentives in the form of grants, more than 600 owners of detached houses have changed their form of heating. Each such change means that emissions of fossil carbon dioxide decrease in line with the reduction in oil use and that electricity use is reduced. As district heating is produced in biofuel-fired combined heat and power plants that also generate electricity, increased use of district heating means that electricity production from biofuels also increases.

The project was implemented during the period 2004–2008, with support from the climate investment programme Klimp.

PositiVE EnVironmEntaL anD Economic imPacts

• Oil use has decreased by around 4 GWh. • Electricity use has decreased by around 10.5 GWh. • Biofuel-based electricity production has increased by around 3.5 GWh. • Carbon dioxide emissions have decreased by a total of 1.1 tonnes. • As the number of local fireplaces has declined, emissions of sulphur, nitrogen. oxides and particulates have decreased to an equivalent extent. • Households have reduced their heating costs by 30–50 percent.

swedish EPa Se-106 48 Stockholm. Visiting address: Stockholm – Valhallavägen 195, Östersund – Forskarens väg 5 hus Ub, Kiruna – Kaserngatan 14.

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information facts

beST PrACTICe eXAMPLeS enerGY SwITCh KLIMP – CLIMATe InVeSTMenT PrOGrAMMe FebrUArY 2011 ISbn: 978-91-620-8543-8

imPLEmEntation

During the project period the Municipality of Kristianstad was able to persuade a total of 657 owners of detached houses to change their form of heating as a result of its campaign for district heating. An important incentive was that it contributed up to 30% of the costs of, for example, pipe-laying, removal of an old boiler or installation of a heat exchanger for which the municipality acted as intermediary.

As well as sharply reduced emissions of fossil carbon dioxide in the municipality, the project has also contributed to better heating economics for the households concerned.

With 30–50% lower energy prices, an average household saves between SEK 2,000 and 10,000 per year from district heating. Another positive feature for the households was that the local energy company offered a 30 percent discount on its connection charge during the project period. Energy advice and extensive information activity through the local press and on the Internet formed part of the campaign. A number of study visits provide evidence of a strong interest in the project. Connection of district heating to houses in Kristianstad is continuing until the end of May 2012 with grants from Klimp.

The municipality’s district heating today is 99.5 percent environmentally friendly, and the target is to be a completely fossil fuel-free municipality in 2020. In addition, Kristianstad is one of ten Swedish municipalities to reach the final of the WWF competi-tion “Earth Hour Capital of the Year”.

PotEntiaL anD fUtUrE BEnEfit

District heating systems reduce air pollution locally and often signify efficient fuel use. If biofuels are used in the systems, there are major climate benefits. As urbanisation advances globally, the prospects for expansion of district heating are improving.

whY beST PrACTICe

The results from the continued increase in connection of houses to district heating and the phasing-out of the use of oil for heating are followed up annually. The municipality has been granted funds from Klimp for a third period and anticipates providing grants for another approximately 1,000 detached houses for connection to district heating by 2012. The project is a good example of a cost-effective measure that additionally makes it possible to supply information on climate and energy issues through the contact with property owners establis-hed on conjunction with the project.

FOr FUrTher InFOrMATIOn Contact: Lennart erfors, Municipality of Kristianstad, +46 (0)44-13 61 60, lennart.erfors@kristianstad.se Staffan branting, Municipality of Kristianstad, +46 (0)44-13 51 98, staffan.branting@kristianstad.se Contractors/providers:

rörtjänst i Fjälkinge and LA Pipewelding carried out the installation of district heating. C4 energi supplies the district heating.

The project on the Internet:

www.kristianstad.se/sv/kristianstads-kommun/ miljo-klimat/

For further information on best Practice: www.naturvardsverket.se/mir

www.swedishepa.se/bestpractice FACTS

Klimp Kristianstad 2004 Action 21.0

environmental investment: SeK 32m Grant: SeK 4.1m