Projects undertaken in the development of the biomass concept

The commune of Estelnic is a case study of a bioenergy community - a pioneer in bioenergy investments and projects, and an example of good practice in providing energy from renewable sources.
Here there are 6000 ha of forests and around 50 ha of energy willow plantations grown on degraded land, providing the feedstock for biomass heating.

In 2016, a biomass microgrid was installed in Estelnic, providing heat and hot water to several public institutions, including the town hall and the cultural hostel, as well as the Angustia Leader GAL association.

The main aim of this demonstration project was to implement a new green energy programme, focused on energy self-sufficiency, called: Biomass - a new green business, funded by a Norwegian grant through the Green Industry Innovation for Romania programme.

The fuel is provided by biomass obtained from willow chop and plant waste from the clearing of green spaces and pastures. A wood chipper has been purchased, a biomass storage facility has been built and a 135 kW boiler manufactured by local producer Erpek Ind. has been installed. The fuel system is fully automated and can be controlled remotely via a mobile phone app. The modern combustion technology, based on electronic control, is capable of burning fuel with a moisture content between 10 and 40%.
The plant requires 100-120 tonnes of fuel per year, which corresponds to a free volume of chopped wood of 300-400 m3. The store can store fuel for 20 days, but due to the limited storage capacity, refilling the store 10-15 times/year is necessary for the operation of the plant. Following funding from the LEADER programme, a 40 kW power plant has been installed at the doctor's surgery and there is a possibility of expansion to the local Franciscan monastery.

The advantages of this heating solution have been popularised through participation in the BioEnergy Village project by raising awareness and developing business models for the development and operation of a micro-heating system.