The centralized autonomous heating promoted by the public utility Termoelectrica SA has all the benefits of individual heating, but is more efficient from economic viewpoint. The horizontal distribution of heat can generate a cost reduction of 30%, said participants in a two-day international conference entitled “Importance of thermoelectric plants for energy security and efficiency of centralized heating. Challenges and solutions” that is held in Chisinau, IPN reports.
According to Termoelectrica director general Veaceslav Eni, within centralized autonomous heating, each dweller of an apartment building is connected directly to the company’s networks through a thermal point in the block and can consume as much as they want. A meter measures consumption and a cost reduction of at least 30% is obtained. “We managed to reanimate the centralized heating system in the municipality of Chisinau, but this will be passive without the continuous generation of this service in cogeneration regime,” he stated.
Veaceslav Ene explained that cogeneration is the concomitant production of heat and electricity by the same installation. For the benefits of the centralized autonomous heating to be greater, the company aims to introduce new systems with double efficiency so as to provide the consumers in the municipality of Chisinau with high-quality services at competitive prices.
Vasile Munteniţă, president of the Professional Association “COGEN” of Romania, stated that in a city like Chisinau, abandoning centralized heating would mean three times larger gas consumption. The cheapest fuel is the fuel that is saved and only the centralized autonomous heating system enables to save. “Reducing the consumption of natural gas is a strategy and security objective of Moldova. Cogeneration can help in this respect,” he noted.
Energy expert Victor Parlicov said the centralized heating system is advantageous in terms of generation costs as these are smaller. The old structure of the centralized heating system, with the vertical distribution of heat, does not enable to uniformly distribute the heat in a block as many add sections to the batteries, while others extend the heating area. “Switching over to a system based on horizontal distribution, where each apartment has an own meter and can regulate consumption according to necessities, is the only solution,” stated the expert.
More than 100 invitees, energy experts from Moldova and other countries, are taking part in the international conference staged by Termoelectrica SA during December 12-13. The conference is at its third edition and is designed as a platform for communication, debate and interaction for identifying opportunities for modernizing and developing the national energy system and ensuring high-quality energy services for the population.
