Property owners favoured biofuels in Rättvik

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

Photograph: Annika Varghans/håkan Sternberg

Property owners favoured

biofuels in rättvik

Many property owners in Rättvik have changed their heating systems from an oil-fired boiler to biofuels in the form of wood, pellets or district heating. The project reduced carbon dioxide emissions by twice as much as estimated and the heating economics of households was improved.

To reduce the use of fossil fuels, the Municipality of Rättvik initiated a district heating project focused on sharply reducing the number of houses, apartment blocks and municipal properties heated by oil. As a result of the project, which among other things offered property owners a grant towards the costs of switching, 134 of them changed from oil to modern biofuel technology or district heating.

The target of the project was for 100 properties to change heating systems. As there were a total of 134 properties, and as oil use was greater than had been estimated, the aggregate reduction in carbon dioxide emissions was more than twice as great as had been anticipated. The project is a successful example of the energy switch from oil to biofuel. It received support from the climate investment programme, Klimp, and ended in 2007.

PositiVE EnVironmEntaL anD Economic imPacts

• Carbon dioxide emissions have decreased by around 1,674 tonnes per year. • Emissions of sulphur and nitrogen oxides have each decreased by around

1,000 kg per year.

• Energy use has decreased by around 840 MWh per year.

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information facts

beST PrACTICe eXAMPLeS enerGY SwITCh KLMP – CLIMATe InVeSTMenT PrOGrAMMe FebrUArY 2011 ISbn: 978-91-620-8545-2 imPLEmEntation The Municipality of Rättvik offered the property owners financial assistance to convert their heating systems. A total of 134 properties took part in the project, including 13 apartment blocks, sheltered housing units or similar properties. Of these, 81 were connected to district heating, 36 converted to pellets, 16 to a wood-fired boiler with an accumulator tank and one to a woodchip-fired boiler. All new boilers for biofuels have environmental approval. The property owners invested an average of SEK 74,000 in the conversion, and the financial support amounted to 14 percent of the investment.

Distribution of information on the project was supplemented by a number of well-attended theme evenings and climate training courses. The municipality is now arranging a “boiler-room safari” in cooperation with local organisations and study associations with guided tours of properties using various heating solu-tions. The project has also had a ripple effect through a new cooperation between local power companies and nature conservation organisations and through the launch of Närvärmenätet Mitt (Local Heating Network Central) in 2009.

PotEntiaL anD fUtUrE BEnEfit

Biofuels replacing fossil fuels produces substantial positive climate effects. District heating systems can reduce air pollution locally and make it possible to utilise biofuels efficiently. Good information efforts may mean that this type of system is more quickly accepted by the market. Conversions of oil-fired boilers in smaller residential building and workplace buildings to biofuel operation repre-sent a large global market.

whY beST PrACTICe

The project has contributed to large energy savings, and the result was twice as good as had been anticipated. The project has had a great impact for the solution of replacing free-standing electric radiators, oil and/or inefficient wood firing with modern biofuel technology or district heating. As a result of efficient distribution of information, the project has reached a large target group and contributed to good cooperation between various local actors in the environmental area.

FOr FUrTher InFOrMATIOn Contact:

rune daniels, Municipality of rättvik, +46 (0)248-702 91,

rune.daniels@rattvik.se

Annika Varghans, Municipality of rättvik, +46 (0)248-701 63,

annika.varghans@leksand.se Contractors/providers:

rättviks Teknik Ab supplies the district heating. YIT Sverige Ab rättviks rör supplied the pipes. Various companies carried out biofuel installations.

The project on the Internet:

www.rattvik.se/energi-och-klimatradgivning/ klimp-i-kommunen_2208

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

www.swedishepa.se/bestpractice FACTS

Klimp rättvik 2003 Action 2.0

environmental investment: SeK 9.9m Grant: SeK 1.4m