Regional case studies for biomass and bioenergy production – Case Study Hungary 1: Utilisation of biomass in the district heating service of Bioenergy-Duna Ltd. in Mohács

Regional case studies for biomass and bioenergy production – Case Study Hungary 1: Utilisation of biomass in the district heating service of Bioenergy-Duna Ltd. in Mohács

Main topic: Good practices, case studies, pilots
Document / search engine: Regional case studies for biomass and bioenergy production – Case Study Hungary 1: Utilisation of biomass in the district heating service of Bioenergy-Duna Ltd. in Mohács
Framework project: Building a Green Energy and Logistics Belt
Short name of the project:
Website link: http://www.interreg-danube.eu/uploads/media/approved_project_public/0001/22/1784bf220ecfa6ff82c4ffc2e84a0b87d75e47b4.pdf
CORDIS link if relevant:
Short description:

The present case study analyses the present and future biomass-based energy production
activities of the Hungarian district heating sector on two levels. One level is based on a nationwide
survey among members of the Association of Hungarian District Heating Enterprises (MaTáSzSz),
the second is the local level, which is based on expert interviews with the management of
Bioenergy-Duna Ltd., a biomass-based energy producer located in the vicinity of River Danube
(estimated distance to the nearest port – Mohács – is 2.6 km) in the town of Mohács.
The intention of MaTáSzSz is to help the harmonization of energy biomass supply of the existing
and planned heat and combined heat and power plants operated by district heating companies in
Hungary.
In case of the Bioenergy-Duna Ltd in the town of Mohács – the supply chain is currently very
simple: energy biomass raw materials are transported on road directly from the forests, in most
cases without any transshipment. In the future however when new port capacities will be
available in Mohács (see more details in Chapter 4.8), waterway transport will probably gain a
more prominent role in biomass transport. Seeing as part of the woodchips used in the plant is
coming completely ready to use from Croatia, further supply possibilities may open from abroad.
Moreover, as the area of the neighbouring Gemenc forests in Hungary is partly located on an island
on the Danube not far from Mohács, the new port can open alternative transport channels for the
utilization of those biomass stocks.
Based on the findings of the case study, harmonization of raw material supply of major energy
biomass end users such as district heating companies is inevitable in order to avoid cost increase
and risking security of supply. New investments in solid biomass-based energy production on
regulated circumstances can change raw material market conditions considerably, which may
make operational cost and profitability difficult to forecast. Long term strategy and identification
of possible alternative solutions of raw material supply are inevitable in the preparatory phase of
these new biomass-based district heating projects.
Currently, road transport has a nearly monopolistic role in energy biomass transport with district
heating companies in Hungary, however for future biomass-based heat power plant
developments the optimisation of waterway connections could simplify raw material supply using
the potentials of the Danube as a transport route.


Countries/regions described/represented: Hungary
Year: 2018