Counselling and support through the Energy Agency Styria
| Since its creation the Energy Agency Styria has been working
on the promotion and expansion of Biomass-heating plants. In particular
since the mid-80ies over 100 biomass district heating networks
(only German) in Styrian
communities have been installed under the intensive co-work of the Energy
Agency Styria together with the national engery representative, the energy
advisory bureau and the administrative chamber for agriculture and
forestry. |
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Here the task of the Energy Agency Styria was the
counselling during the actual implementation, i.e e.g. pre-estimations
about feasibility and economy. These aspects were calculated with
individually developed EDP-programmes (BIOWIRT and BIOPLAN). A manual for
operators of such plants was also written (manual distant-heating -
district heating with Biomass), which describes the entire way from the
original idea to the establishment of such a district-heating plant. |
| Another essential part of Energy Agency Styria's work in
relation to Biomass-district heating was and is to help with the solution
of problems as they occur ("trouble shooting"). Only through the
establishment of a sample-grant application could the normally very long
duration of the processing of such applications from the Government be
accelerated enormously (below half).
Together with the energy advisory bureau of Styria
(only German) the Energy Agency
Styria also did some intensive advisory work for ultimate consumers who
obtain heat from these plants. |
| After this "phase of foundation" at the end of the
80ies and beginning of the 90ies the main work of the Energy Agency Styria
in this field was focused on the support of the operators of Biomass-district
heating plants. As a result a "Biomass-district-heating-operator
Stammtisch" has also been established where operators have the
opportunity to exchange experiences with experts from research and
development, planning and production of plant components regularly per
year. Here new developments are also presented. |
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| In addition to the "Stammtisch" the organization
of specific events for further training is the responsibility of the
Energy Agency Styria. After the solution of most of the technical starting
problems, the need to improve the marketing has become a central topic.
Here the Energy Agency Styria offers training. But also other topics are
of major importance such as at the last conference "the utilization
of ashes from Biomass heating plants"(only German)
It was a key aim of the Energy Agency Styria to make the operators familiar with the meaning of data gathering. Via this data gathering it has become possible to determine characteristic values, to compare plants and subsequently to optimize if required. This kind of data gathering is known as "bio-monitoring today" and is also known and acknowledged abroad. One of the latest ideas of the Energy Agency Styria for the support of operators of Biomass-district-heating has been the establishment of an "Internet market place"(only German). Here plant components can be dealt or components offered and searched for. However the Energy Agency Styria supports the operators and the whole
topic of "heat from biomass": e.g. the marketing campaign
"Mobile Biomass heating machine for event heating" caused a
pariticular sensation. At large events such as the ski world cup night
slalom in Schladming, the ski jumping on the Kulm and the Northern Ski-WC
in Ramsau, the VIP tent was heated with a mobile biomass-heating machine.
This action lead to many requests also from abroad and to an entry of the
machine in the Guinness book of records. |
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Due to the success of these biomass-district-distant heating
projects in Styria there are constantly inquiries from Austria and abroad.
The Energy Agency Styria therefore regularly organizes excursions for
guests. Employees of the Energy Agency Styria are frequently invited to
presentations in this country and abroad. The Energy Agency Styria is
often a partner for EU projects in the field of biomass.
The Energy Agency Styria regularly publishes a map of Styria including
the most essential information about the biomass networks in Styria. This
map can also be downloaded as a PDF file. |
