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THE PROJECT
The demonstration centre in Vilemov is unique by the fact that it is run by a church based organization. The 100 kW wind generator brings through the fixed preferential feed-in tariffs an income to support educational and religious activities of the Academy. In addition, the centre utilises solar energy to warm its shower water, a biomass boiler to supply heat during the winter and a demonstration PV array. The technologies were installed between 1998 and 2003. The Academy also promotes the use of renewable energy by church institutions. It has successfully started the project called „The church for future: fifty solar roofs”. It aims to install simple solar systems on all churches, seminaries, presbyteries and social homes to further spread the technology amongst followers. So far, thirty installations have taken place. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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First, a solar thermal system with a 9 m2 solar collector and a 500 litre tank was installed for meeting the kitchen's hot water needs, later in 2002 the system was extended with another 15 m2 of solar collectors (Ekostart Therma) and a 1 000 litre tank to provide warm water for showers, too. The energy yield of the solar collectors reaches about 15 000 kWh annually. Two systems of photovoltaic panels were also installed. 150 Wp to provide emergency lighting on a stairway and on corridors and a 1,2 kWp system for selling electricity to the grid. Both systems indicate the power currently produced in publicly visible places. A 25 kW boiler burning wooden pellets supplies heat to the office and to the seminar rooms of the Academy. It was produced by the Czech company Benekov, type: Viadrus Ling 25. Furthermore a wind generator type Fuhrländer FL100 is located about 20 kilometres from the Academy's building, in Protivanov, the yearly electricity yield of which amounts to about 120 MWh.
All installations were partly financed by church sources and partly from grant subsidies (State Environmental Fund and German foundation DBU). Altogether the investment costs burdened the budget of the Academy but, on the other hand, generally the wind generator pays its costs back and brings a certain income that is being used for activities of the institution. All installations were partly financed by church sources and partly from grant subsidies (State Environmental Fund and German foundation DBU). Altogether the investment costs burdened the budget of the Academy but, on the other hand, generally the wind generator pays its costs back and brings a certain income that is being used for activities of the institution. The environmental effects depend on the different projects. About 120 000 kWh of power is produced annually by the wind generator and about 15 000 kWh of heat by the solar systems. This would otherwise have been supplied by the electricity produced from coal or nuclear power. The main obstacle the Academy has met during its promotion of the “50 solar roofs” project was a rigid attitude of the cultural heritage protection institutions. Those often reject the installation of solar collectors of churches and presbyteries without considering that option at all. The Academy is now preparing a project of a complete reconstruction of a small hydro plant in Slovakia. Orthodox Academy Vilémov
Roman Juriga - director | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Examples to Follow - Successful and Sustainable Energy Investments in the Central-Eastern and South-Eastern European Region - Energia Klub 2008 |
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TECHNOLOGY