1. GOOD PRACTICE TEMPLATE
Title of the measure/initiative: Implementation of a district heating system based on
biomass in Pornóapáti
Name of the organisation: Pornóapáti Municipality
Status of the organisation: Municipality
Address: H-9796 Pornóapáti, Körmendi út 27.
Contact person: Purker Walter
Phone: +36 30 407 2543
E-mail: purker.walter@e-kisterseg.hu
Web site : www.pornoapati.hu
Topic (multiple answers are possible)
X Public Sector
X Private Sector
 Large Industrial Buildings
 Solar Plants
 District Heating
 Wind
X Biomass
 Geothermal energy
X Energy saving
 Energy efficiency
 Energy concepts
 Other, please specify ___________________________________________
Stakeholders (multiple answers are possible)
X Citizens
X Households
 Property owners
 Policymakers
X Local and regional authorities
 Energy service company (ESCO’s)
X Architects and engineers
 Other, please specify ____________________________________________

2. BACKGROUND
In the neighbouring Austrian village of Bildein (Beled in Hungarian) a village district heating
system based on biomass has been in operation since 1994. The Pornóapáti Municipality has
been monitoring this activity since its very beginning and, in accordance with the opinion and
advice of Austrian residents, decided to initiate the designs and tendering procedure for
implementing a similar system if the residents of Pornóapáti also support the idea. It is
especially significant that Pornóapáti started the implementation of a district heating system
based on biomass produced on-site since it is located near Szombathely where one of the
largest lignite beds close to the surface can be found.
OBJECTIVES
The aim of this new system was to supply environmentally friendly energy and district
heating to family houses, companies and institutions.
PROCESS
Milestones:
• Feb 2003 - Contacting designers
• Apr 2003 - Residential decision in favour of implementation
• Aug 2003 - Feasibility study, requiring building permit, production of designs
• Sep 2003 - Issuing building permit
• Sep 2003 - Submitting bid for PHARE CBC support
• Apr 2004 - Signing support agreement
• Oct 2004 - Organization of financing
• Mar 2005 - Signing contract with main contractor
• May 2005 - Signing contracts with residents
• Oct 2005 - Technical delivery-acceptance
The investment has been realized on the outskirts of Pornóapáti village. The heating network
has been constructed all over the administrative area of the village.
Two sawdust and wood-chip burning heaters of 600 kW capacity each supply the heat for the
village heating system. The amount of necessary wood-chips is approx. 1 200 tons/year, while
the estimated amount of generated energy is 9 500 GJ. The expected lifetime of this
technology is 25 years. The length of district heating system pipes amounts to 3 900 meters,
and the number of consumers connected to the system, as at 10 october 2005, is 97 out of
which 86 are residential and 11 are industrial consumers.
FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND PARTNERS
The investment has been realized from tendering funds and loans. In addition, some non-
refundable subsidy was also received. The terms and conditions related to each different
support scheme vary greatly, and therefore they are difficult to handle and harmonize. A
municipality generally does not possess sufficient own resources, is not creditworthy, and is

3. completely exposed to investors. The major forms of supports can be received in the form of
post-financing; therefore paying off contractors in line with the schedule is hard. What is
more, there is a total lack of clarity with regard to the possibility of VAT refunds to
municipalities.
RESULTS
Planned replacements:
• Coal: 347 t/year
• Firewood: 260 t/year
• PB gas: 4.9 t/year
• Electricity: 370 MWh/year
• CO2 reduction: 1,168 t/year
Planned emission reductions in terms of air pollution:
• SO2: 5.4 t/year
• CxHy: 6.6 t/year
• CO: 43.4 t/year
• Dust: 0.38 t/year
Biomass heating uses wood chips as basic heating materials from lumber mills and other
forestry wastes produced in the surrounding areas.
LESSONS LEARNED AND REPEATABILTY
The users of the system have a favourable opinion about the village heating system, and they
feel it cheaper than the previous one. Residents are proud of their unique project and the
successional effects of new investments, increasing awareness of village and environment,
conferences and tourism. The Municipality offers the possibility of visits for those interested.
PHOTOS: