Starting Monday, heating plants will be able to heat using fuels other than natural gas without facing penalties or lengthy permitting processes. The goal is to reduce gas consumption and reserve heat for the next heating season. This will prevent a so-called emergency in the heating industry decided by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. However, many heating plants do not allow this option.
For example, the municipality Jablonecká energyká does not use the option to switch to other fuels. “Our resources are only for gas,” said director Boris Pospisil.
The Detmarovice Power Plant, the largest conventional coal-fired power plant in Moravia and Silesia, is no different. She said she couldn’t heat anything but black charcoal. The ČEZ Group, which operates the power plant, initially hoped to shut down the coal-fired boiler in spring 2023, but due to energy market conditions, it has already decided to extend its operation to April.
However, the Heating Association of the Czech Republic reports that numerous heating installations in the Czech Republic are using more fuel in the long run. Therefore, the use of natural gas can be curtailed and partially replaced by other fuels such as coal, biomass or waste without installing new boilers. Gas boilers can quickly be modified to burn only diesel oil, but this is not always the case, said Martin Hájek, director of the association.
Converting a gas boiler to light oil requires replacing the burner and installing a kerosene tank. “But it’s not possible everywhere, mainly because of the lack of space,” he said Hájek. According to Hájek, heating plants that can use multiple fuels often have an advantage over domestic boilers, which have fewer heating options.
According to Hájek, the Emergency Prevention Declaration in the Heating Industry provides a clear legal framework, according to which heating plants must replace gas with other fuels to the maximum extent technically possible. “This is especially important for small heating plants that were preparing to switch from coal or fuel oil to gas as emissions limits become significantly tighter from January next year,” said Hájek.
According to Hájek, emergency declarations and amendments to environment ministry decrees will allow these heating plants to continue producing heat from coal or fuel oil at least until the end of the heating season. No need to switch to extremely expensive natural gas. “This will of course be reflected in heat prices,” Hájek added.
