Solar panels – the key to energy independence?

 

To see what the installation of such ideas, I recently visited an apartment building on Calea Victoriei in Bucharest, the only owners’ association in the country, according to the Mr. administrator, which used solar solution for getting hot water waste.

Processed through three different stages, whith the mention that owners association received several advantages that missed to most blocks of flats in the country.

The most important advantage is that the block with 177 apartments, has been provided since its construction in 1962, with central heating. Without this project would not have been realized. The fact that there has already central significant savings in the project budget.

An association of owners connected to a centralized heat supply, you should purchase and install such a plant for the solar system to become viable. This means adequate space station assembly and money to purchase and install.

Also a major problem is in the situation that would exist in apartment block with central heating, in this case the decision to purchase a new plant for the entire block is very difficult.

Due to the economy generated by the existing plant could be purchased second central condensation with a lower capacity for hot water. This works only in the warm period, consumes less than the plant’s large solar panels preheat water due.

The second advantage is that the homeowners association has two sources of self – financing: commercial space and two GSM antennas they charge rent. The investment of 36,000 euros was made without the tenders to pay from their own pockets ( on average 200 euros per apartment).

Basically, they decided that the money gained from the two sources to be invested to acquire a certain degree of energy independence. For the same purpose, the proposal manager, the owners of the property and consider whether installing a solar photovoltaic system to produce electricity. This is possible because the free space on the terrace block, left after installing solar thermal panels.

Finally, in the third row block housing was included in the envelope program developed by the City District 1, which generated the necessary insulation system operation with high efficiency.

The work itself consisted of the installation of 100 solar panels on the terrace sqm block. They are designed to preheat water before it thermal plant (eg in winter, the water is heated from 4 ° C, the temperature that comes from network central 15 – 16 to C).

Because of this process, the association of owners realize a savings of 1,500 cubic meters of gas per day ( approximately 1.900 RON ) economy will be found in each apartment maintenance bill. Thus, according to what the tenants, the current month gas bill was about the same value as that of the same month the previous year, but that given the price of gas was increased.

Installation is an easy operation is made quickly and without occupants suffer discomfort. Under concrete supports that were fixed solar panels, at the suggestion of the manager of the building, were placed rubber mats with a thickness of 0.5 cm , which are designed to protect the terrace hidroisolation.

A proposal for a global energy efficiency program

The success of this project led by Mr. Victor Costache engineer to initiate a global energy efficiency program aimed principally Romania’s energy independence. The program comprises three different axes :

One . Decentralization of production and distribution of thermal energy.

Two . Location solar thermal panels on the roof blocks of flats.

Three . Thermal envelope of residential buildings.

Our calculations, the initiator of the program concluded that after the decentralization process, actual losses would be eliminated estimated at 30 % .

Meanwhile, solar panels mounted on blocks would have an efficiency of 25 % in the future system of production and distribution of thermal energy, which is added the figure of 30 % generated by thermal envelope.

In other words, summing up the three steps leading to a 64% reduction in fuel consumption for heat production conventional classroom.

Moreover, Victor Costache believes that although investments are large and difficult to recover in time, to the global energy efficiency programs can achieve 100 % eligible projects attracting European funds, is compatible with the requirements of Priority Axis 4 which refer to ” increase energy efficiency and security of supply in the context of climate change, the use of renewable energy, reducing pollution and mitigating climate change by restructuring urban heating systems to achieve energy efficiency targets. “

In addition to the primary objective, the program would generate a series of very significant consequences, including: reducing emissions released from combustion to produce heat, Gcal cheap jobs in manufacturing and services, income from state budgets and local budgets by refreshing production and service sectors, etc.