A new incinerator will be able to convert all non-recycled waste in Brno into energy to heat households, reducing carbon emissions in the city by around 50%. The project has EIA approval and is expected to cost CZK 2 billion. Photo Credit: Freepik / Illustrative Photo.
Brno, Feb 15 (BD) – A new incinerator is to be built in Brno, which will enable all non-recycled waste in the city and surrounding areas to be converted into energy. Incinerators burn waste material, especially industrial waste, at high temperatures until it is reduced to ash. The energy created during the process will be used to heat households, reducing carbon emissions in the city by about a half. “Every second kilogram of municipal waste ends up in landfill in the Czech Republic, but we can use almost 100% of it to produce heat and energy,” said Filip Leder, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SAKO Brno. The project will cost approximately CZK 2 billion.
The new incinerator will be able to process 132,000 tons of non-recycled waste annually. “We can provide heat for almost half of Brno from the waste,” said SAKO Brno spokesman Michal Kačírek. This project will make Brno less dependent on gas supplies, taking a big step towards eco-friendly solutions for urban heating. “The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) will fall by almost 160,000 tons per year. Reducing carbon emissions is our long-term plan; we want a reduction of 40% by 2030,” said SAKO Brno representatives.
The project has passed an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and has the support of the Czech Ministry of Environment. “I see passing the EIA as an important milestone leading to a reduction in dependence on natural gas from abroad. A modern unit with a capacity of 132,000 tons of non-recyclable waste per year will provide long-term stable and affordable heat prices for Brno residents,” concluded Leder. According to SAKO Brno, when the incinerator is completed, it is expected to be the most modern unit in the Czech Republic and among the best in the world.
The money spent on heating homes in Brno has increased significantly due to the coronavirus pandemic. A record 1.2 million gigajoules of heat was supplied to households by SAKO Brno in 2020, a 9% increase from 2019. Leder adds that producing energy from waste has a long tradition in Brno, dating back more than 100 years.
