Energy from waste is already heating Bratislava households

The municipal enterprise OLO has now reached a significant milestone in the city's waste management scheme. After decades of operation, the waste-to-energy plant has undergone a significant change - connection to the centralised heat supply system (SCZT). The partnership between OLO a.s. and MH Teplárenský holding, a.s. (MHTH) will make it possible for energy derived from waste to supply Bratislava with heating and hot water. Waste energy replaces fossil fuels and enhances the city’s independence from natural gas, significantly reducing CO2 emissions from heat production. The connection to the SCZT, owned by the state-owned MHTH, represents a new significant source of revenue for the city and OLO and cheaper heat for Bratislava households. This infrastructure-intensive project was implemented by the municipal company OLO within less than one year after signing the contract with its partner.

OLO took advantage of the SCZT's close proximity owned by MH Teplárenský holding, a.s. (MHTH) and connected its Waste-to-Energy Facility (ZEVO). By building new components and piping, it maximised the benefit of the heat generated by the continuous energy recovery of waste. _ “The connection to the neighbouring plant is good news for all three partners - for the city, which is able to supply cheaper heat, for OLO, which will receive extra revenues and will be able to invest them in development, and for MHTH, which will replace heat production with the heat generated anyway during waste processing. This is an important step towards a greener city and better management of OLO,”_ says Mayor Vallo.

“As a result of the pandemic, war and rising inflation, supply chains have been severely strained. Nevertheless, we have managed to reach this historic milestone of the city's waste management in less than a year. In terms of positive environmental impact, financial benefits and energy efficiency, this is the most significant change in Bratislava's waste management in the last thirty years,” says Ivan Sokáč, OLO’s Chair of the Board.

Bratislava is heated by CHP - Combined Heat and Power from Waste

Today OLO has the potential to supply heat for the annual consumption of approximately 10,000 households in Bratislava but, after the planned modernisation of ZEVO, this potential will increase to approximately 35,000 households. With implementation of the CHP project, OLO is also able to supply electricity to the grid for the annual consumption of approximately 22,000 households compared to the current 20,000.

“The waste that Bratislava residents discard in the morning can be used in the evening as heat or hot water in their homes. In addition to heat, ZEVO also generates electricity. It is energy self-sufficient throughout its operation - the electricity generated is consumed in the existing ZEVO facilities. After implementation of the CHP project, ZEVO will be able to produce even more energy, which it will also supply to the Slovak power grid,” says Andrej Rutkovský, OLO’s CTO and Board Member.

The benefit of the CHP project lies in environmentally friendly and cheap energy for Bratislava

The connection to the SCZT was a key and necessary step in view of the planned modernisation and greening of ZEVO. This project is currently in the design phase. OLO has already successfully passed the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. The project is scheduled for completion in 2027.

Heat supply to SCZT serves as a substitute for fossil fuels, i.e. natural gas, and a significant saving of CO2 emissions.

“Since February, we have been providing the first megawatt-hours of waste heat from OLO to our district heating system. In 2023, we will make use of heat from OLO in a total volume of approximately 23,000 MWh, which, with an average annual heat consumption of 7 MWh per household, represents heat for almost 3,300 Bratislava households. However, the potential for waste heat from OLO is much greater and, once the necessary investments have been made, heat from OLO will contribute significantly to reducing the dependence on fossil fuels in Bratislava. Already in 2023 we will save on natural gas, which would have produced almost 5 000 tonnes of CO2 if burned in heat production,” adds Marcel Vrátný, CEO and Chair of the Board at MH Teplárenský holding, a.s.

Bratislava households can now use ecological and cheap heat from their waste. In times of climate change, this is a particularly important step towards sustainability. At the same time, new previously non-existent revenues will be generated, which OLO can invest in the further development of waste management in Bratislava.