More than 30 buildings, including HCP hospital, will be heated with the application of heat recovered from industrial processes. This is the result of three years of cooperation between the Volkswagen Poznań Foundry and the company Veolia Energia Poznań. Heat recovered owing to the technology of the company Atlas Copco, instead of being emitted to the atmosphere, will be used by the facilities neighboring on the Foundry. It is probably the first case of heat recovery from industrial processes for the needs of municipal heating in our part of Europe.
The implemented solution means reduction of production of carbon dioxide by 2014 tons a year. The additional advantage of this cooperation also includes savings in the amount of 17 million liters of water (which is equivalent to annual water consumption by 80 families composed of 4 persons) and almost 40 000 GJ of energy saved, which in turn means lower demand on fuel combustion in the combined heat and power station Karolin and lowering of local CO2 emission by more than 1000 tons a year. All of this is the effect of an innovative concept, allowing for leading the heat emitted by the compressors in the VW Foundry through the heat distribution unit of Veolia, directly to the municipal heating system.
Heat recuperation module opened today is one of the numerous actions of Volkswagen Poznań, aimed at environmental protection and protection of the closest neighborhood of our four production plants - says Jens Ocksen, President of the Management Board of Volkswagen Poznań. - Owing to this project, process heat formed as a result of forging processes may be used further by our neighbors. In addition, it is also a perfect example of cooperation and commitment of the employees of Volkswagen Poznań and our partners - adds Jens Ocksen.
The idea to use waste heat from the compressed air production process first appeared in 2011. One should bear in mind, that production of compressed air is an extremely energy-consuming process – as much as 80% of electric energy consumed by compressors is converted into heat energy and transferred in the form of heated water for cooling. Using of this heated water – instead of cooling it – and recovery of energy from it was the purpose of project initiators. However, this was not an easy task. After intensive concept and execution works that lasted for two years, a solution was implemented allowing for heat recovery and its transfer to the municipal system. In the scope of the project, among others two heat distribution units were created and almost 2 km of pipelines with capacity of several cubic meters.
Industrial heat recovery and sending it directly to the recipients of system heat in the city fits in perfectly to the concept of building of the closed-cycle economy promoted by the Polish government and executed by Veolia – explains Gérard Bourland, CEO at Veolia Group in Poland. – Moreover, this project contains all the values that are most important for Veolia: it is implemented in partnership with the client, it has an innovative character and it is energy-efficient, and in addition, it has a positive environmental impact. We would like that the pioneer solution, elaborated by Veolia with Volkswagen and other project partners, become our reference, which will be mirrored in all our heating system – adds Bourland.
For the Foundry it is the next step on the way to ecological production. Since 2010 the VWP Foundry participates in the concern program Think Blue Factory. Its assumption is the reduction of carbon dioxide emission by reducing energy consumption, water consumption, reduction of volatile organic compounds, as well as limitation of waste production by 25% for each produced part until 2018. The VWP Foundry has cooperated for many years also with the local society. – Last year our employees participated in numerous ecological programs, among others in the action aimed at stocking of the Warta River, in organization of small gardens around the trees by the roads in Wilga, and were also engaged in continuous neighbors’ dialog with the district dwellers – lists Mirco Wollenstein, the Director of VWP Foundry.
As stressed by the representatives of Volkswagen and Veolia, the investment in heat recovery may form an impulse to further future cooperation in similar projects, for the dwellers of Poznań and for the environment.