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CEZ Hungary News CEZ Group Electricity production from biomass in CEZ Group has increased by 37.8 % to almost 68 GWh compared to the previous year

2007. 5. 4.

Electricity production from biomass in CEZ Group has increased by 37.8 % to almost 68 GWh compared to the previous year

CEZ Group significantly increased electricity production from co-burning of biomass in the first quarter of this year. Total production reached 67,561 MWh and represented a year-on-year increase of 37.8 %. Total weight of the used biomass exceeded 74 thousand tonnes (a year-on-year increase of 41.6 %).

The power plants that accounted for most production from biomass in the first quarter of the year were the Polish power plant Skawina (25,968 MWh), the South Bohemian power plant Hodonin (18,931 MWh) and the East Bohemian power plant Porici together with Dvur Kralove heating plant (14,926 MWh). In the Czech Republic, biomass is also combusted in the power plants Tisova, Ledvice and Chvaletice.

The power plant Hodonin, which is the largest producer of energy from biomass in the Czech Republic, combusts a mixture of soft coal and biomass. The average share of biomass in the mixture was 19 % in the first quarter of the year. The plant has an integrated permission for burning 100 % of biomass and replacing coal already today. At present, a pilot project to build facility for combustion of purposefully grown biomass (so called green biomass), produced in the very region, is under way at Hodonin. 

The current technology of fuel transport to boilers makes it possible for us to replace at most  25 % of enthalpy of supplied coal with biomass. This year, we are going to continue preparing the technology alterations in order to be able to combust a higher share of biomass. The alterations must be applicable to the new equipment for clean biomass as well, said Petr Hodek, director of Hodonin power plant. At the same time, we want to increase the volume of biomass bought from both present and new suppliers. With respect to the plant´s location not only on the Czech, but also on the Slovak side, he added.

In 2006, CEZ Group produced a total of 223 GWh of electrical energy from biomass, which represented nearly a double increase compared to 2005. Within the portfolio of CEZ Group´s renewable resources, it is the second most important resource, after hydropower plants.

The main development activities of CEZ Group are primarily aimed at utilization of wind energy, biomass and biogas. Within the next 15 years, CEZ Group is going to invest a total of 30 billion CZK into the development of renewable resources. CEZ Group´s goals, in terms of expansion of production capacity from renewable resources, are directly connected with the goal of the Czech Republic to produce 8 % of energy from renewable resources in 2010. That would represent almost a double increase compared to the present situation.

Ivo Mešťanek
Communication Manager CEZ