Pilot 4: Public Library in Lendava

Description of the Pilot in Lendava, Slovenia

Overview

In the Municipality of Lendava the installation of a paraffin-based latent heat storage is planned in the local library building. Moreover, the library should be connected to the geothermal grid. The pilot of a paraffin-based latent storage in connection with a geothermal district heating system is a highly innovative investment in Slovenia because no similar installation has yet been built anywhere else in Slovenia. Therefore, the installation can be a very good best practice example for the region.

For the deployment desk eleven groups of stakeholders have been identified. The internal stakeholders (employees of the municipality, Mayor of the municipality and employees of Development agency Sinergija) are already involved in the project. The external ones will be integrated via personal meetings, workshops, emails and telephone calls. These are for example owners of district heating networks, representatives of the municipalities and cities in Slovenia, representatives for cultural heritage protection or local energy agencies.

Description of the Pilot

historical protection and cannot be properly energy renovated. The pilot site is a city library, profane building heritage. It is written in the Decree on the proclamation of cultural monuments of local importance in the area of the Municipality of Lendava. It is a ground floor, neo-Baroque villa with elements of secession from 1906. It has 4 corner towers. The facade is divided into Baroque cartridges and sewn slats. Also, the ground floor auxiliary building in the yard is protected as well.

The storage, which will be installed by the municipality in the cultural and historic protected building of Public library of Lendava, shown in Figure 7, will represent a decentralized system of thermal energy advancement in the system with paraffin – latent storages. Municipality of Lendava is one of two Slovenian municipalities that has geothermal district heating, in parallel, the municipality also works on energy efficiency, where there are restrictions on cultural and historical protected structures. Pilot paraffin-based latent storages in connection with geothermal district heating system in Lendava is an innovative investment at the national level, such installation has not yet been built anywhere in Slovenia. Investment can serve as an example of good practice in the project area; example of innovative solution of storing renewable energy in an effective way.

The Slovenian pilot site is located in Lendava whose geographical position is in the eastern part of Slovenia, near the Slovenian – Hungarian and Slovenian – Croatian border. The city has about 10.600 inhabitants. The unique position of Municipality at the foothills of picturesque vineyards originates from its rich historical role and a profuse cultural image, contributed by inhabitants with diverse ethic definition. The municipality of Lendava is economically less developed than the average for Slovenia. The economy is based on industry, agriculture and tourism. A key role in its development plays the geographical position between Slovenia, Hungary and Croatia, which has a positive influence on international trade.

Pomurje as a region and in this particular Lendava municipality has at its disposal a wide range of energy options already at the level of energy sources: from natural gas, various types of biofuels (wood, straw, oil, bio-gas), geothermal energy, industrial waste and, last but not least, - geothermal energy potential. The potentials of geothermal energy in the municipality of Lendava are well-drained. Geothermal energy is sufficient in the municipality of Lendava, more than it is now exploited. Thermal water is extracted from five wells. It is used in two areas: spa tourism and heating of buildings.

Measures, especially in the field of efficient energy use, are foreseen in buildings owned or operated by the municipality. The implementation of these measures in practice will serve as an example to the public in presenting practical options for reducing energy costs in their buildings.

Municipality of Lendava is aware of the challenges of optimising the district heating, energy storages and on the system connected buildings. In the project, the municipality will approach with innovative solutions - the challenge of storage of (geo)thermal energy for heating of a building that is under cultural

Lendava Library


The investment costs for the installations are calculated with approximately 100.000 €:

  • Connection of the building to the existing geothermal pipeline/distribution network - to use it for space heating (150 m of new pipeline, heat exchanger, thermal regulation system, construction works, etc.) – approx. 75.000€;
  • Installation of an innovative energy storing system – paraffin-based latent storages (40 pieces; sizes 2,5 m x 1 m x 1 m) – approx. 25.000 €

The major goals are:

  • Increase of energy efficiency: 5,5 % or 3 MWh
  • Implementation and presentation of an innovative way of energy storing
  • Integration of political decision makers/public sector in the development and implementation process of the pilot project – as a basis for further promotion of the project to other sectors and integration of measures into the policies 
  • Reduction of energy consumption/share of fossil fuels: 60 MWh (current consumption of heating oil in Lendava Library);
  • Reduction of CO₂ Emissions Pollution: 16,8 tons of CO₂ (geothermal energy has an CO₂ emission factor of “0”);
  • Exploitation of renewable energy – geothermal energy: 57 MWh (savings related to energy storing included