Title : Innovative model to drive energy security and diversity in the Danube Region via combination of bioenergy with surplus renewable energy
Acronym : DanuP-2-Gas
Funding program : DTP Interreg
Programme priority : Priority 3
Programme priority specific objective : SO 3.2 Improve energy security and energy efficiency
Project Code : DTP 3 – 745 – 3.2
Project budget : 2,553,726,85 EUR
Funding sources : European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) – 2,109,336,02 EUR, Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) – 61,331,75 EUR , European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) – 0,00 EUR
Lead Applicant : Technology Centre Energy – University of Applied Sciences Landshut
Project duration : 30 months (01.07.2020 – 31.12.2022)
Context: The Danube Region holds huge potential for sustainable generation and storage of renewable energy. However, to date this region is highly dependent on energy imports, while energy efficiency, diversity and renewables share are low. Strong dependence on fossil energy carriers mainly gas from Russia, is a major challenge in the Danube Region. Particularly Germany, Croatia, Austria, Hungary and Slovenia depend on import of hydrocarbons to an extent between 45-70%. Also, the general share of fossil fuel energy consumption in the region is above 65%. The low share of renewable energy in gross energy consumption (average 20%) is disquieting in most countries. Low energy and transport efficiency as well as large unused biomass potential are further challenges for the energy market. The key for this problem is biomass. By 2020 it is expected that four countries (Austria, Czech Republic, Germany and Romania) will cover over 80% of the regions bioenergy production underlining the marginal contribution of the other countries. This emphasizes the pressing need for effective biomass integration into the energy market. Also, renewable energy is mainly associated with electrical power showing the need for a link to heat and especially transportation. Prime candidate for this interlink is renewable gas.
Goal: In line with the EU climate targets for 2030 and the EUSDR PA2 goals DanuP-2-Gas will advance transnational energy planning by promoting generation and storage strategies for renewables in the Danube Region by coupling the electric power and gas sector. The consortium seeks to elaborate a transnational strategy that includes exploitation of unused organic residue, river transportation of energy intermediates and sector coupling. This will increase both energy security and efficiency
Objectives:
- To diversify of renewables – by integration of unused organic residues into energy production
- To increase energy efficiency – through the utilization of unused surplus electricity (e.g. wind and solar energy)
- To integrate different energy grids – by transnational linkage of electricity and gas grid
- To enhance storage capacity – by improving the framework for sector coupling through a transnational strategy and national roadmaps
- To encourage knowledge transfer and transnational cooperation – by connecting key players in energy sector via the Danube Energy Platform
- To make the energy sector in the region sustainable – by promoting the strategy throughout the Danube region at conferences, fairs and participation in the DTP Thematic Pole 8
- To generate renewable energy – through workshops on future projects capitalizing on the provided outputs and focusing on realizing pilot hubs along the Danube river
The role of Urbasofia in this project:
Within this project, Urbasofia will help lead partners but also other entities involved through consulting and insights on the energy scene in Romania, from the legislative factor, to quantitative elements such as energy production and consumption, but identifying areas with potential high to produce renewable energy, green energy but also areas with unused biomass and ready for exploitation.
The consortium:
Project Partners
Technology Centre Energy DE
Energy Agency of Savinjska, Šaleška and Koroška Region (KSSENA) SI
University of Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (UNIZGFER) HR
Tolna County Development Agency (TCDA) HU
Energie Institut an der Johannes Kepler Universität Linz (EI-JKU) AT
Black Sea Research Centre (BSERC) BG
URBASOFIA RO
Technische Hochschule Deggendorf (THD) DE
National Recycling Agency Slovakia (NARA-SK) SL
Institute of Technology and Business in České Budějovice (VSTE) CZ
MAHART Freeport Co. Ltd. HU
International Centre for Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES) HR
Energy Institute Hrvoje Pozar (EIHP) HR
Regional Agency for Socio Economic Development – Banat, Ltd. (RDA-Banat) RS
Associated Partners: Hungarian Biogas Association (HU), Municipality of Celje (SI), Ministry of Infrastructure of the Republic of Slovenia (SI), Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning (SI), JP Elektroprivreda HZ HB d.d. Mostar (BA), Odessa National Polytechnic University (UA), Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic (CZ), Government of Lower Bavaria (DE), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary (representing also EUSDR PA2 HU), Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy (DE).
Website: DanuP-2-Gas