Circular Economy

Expert Mission on Decentralized Renewable Energy Solution

Published

An Expert Mission is a detailed study visit to one of the good practices identified in the RESINDUSTRY project. RESINDUSTRY – Policies for Renewable Energy Sources in the industry aims to boost the use of renewable energy in the industry. In February 2022, the RESINDUSTRY Expert Mission to MALFINI, a.s. in Ostrava, the Czech Republic was organized. Together with the representative from LAB University of Applied Sciences, two Päijät-Häme stakeholders joined the study visit; Janne Ekholm, Sauter Biogas Finland and Aatu-Ville Väänänen, One1 Oy. Link to Good practice: MALFINI – hybrid photovoltaic system with accumulation in batteries

A photo of seven people standing next to each other, six men and one woman. In front of them, there is a table with flowers and Finnish, Czech and EU flags, as well as with some refreshments. In the background, on the right top, there is a logo of the company, a black eagle.
Picture 1. The participants of the RESINDUSTRY Expert Mission. Frome left to right: Tomáš Holub and Michal Seltenreich (MALFINI), Kateřina Medková (LAB), Janne Ekholm (Sauter Biogas Finland), Aatu-Ville Väänänen (One1), Jan and Roman Mendrygal (Young4Energy). (Picture: Marie Logrová)

The Czech company MALFINI, a.s., founded in 1999, is a leading supplier of promotional textiles in Europe, operating in 35 European countries. Their production is located both in Asia and Europe. In the Czech Republic, the headquarter is situated in Ústí nad Labem, and their logistics centre and warehouse with nearly 20 000 m2 was built on a former brownfield in Ostrava. (Holub 2022a.)

Hybrid Photovoltaic System with Batteries

In September 2019, a unique hybrid photovoltaic (PV) system with accumulation in batteries was launched in the MALFINI logistics centre in Ostrava. The total installed capacity reaches 296 kWp, annually generating 280 MWh. (MALFINI A.S. 2022.) Altogether 947 PV panels were installed on the flat roof and one-fourth of them also on the facade walls secure year-round electricity production even in wintertime when the sun is only 20° above the horizon. The payback period for the PV system is between 7-8 years. (Holub 2022a.)

A photo of five people, four men and one woman in a warehouse. One man is explaining something, and the rest of the people listen to them. In the background, there are shelves.
Picture 2. The Finnish delegation during the detailed tour of the MALFINI warehouse presented by the two MALFINI experts (on the right). (Picture: Marie Logrová, modified by Katerina Medkova)

Unused electricity is stored in batteries for later use or as a backup. The lithium ferrophosphate (LiFePO) battery block with a nominal capacity of 360 kWh is used for energy accumulation from the PV system as well as from the cogeneration units. It also smooths out electricity peak loads (peak shaving). (Holub 2022b.)

Combined Heat and Power

In 2018, MALFINI, a.s. acquired two TOTEM 25 condensing cogeneration units, with a thermal output of 58 kW and power output of 25 kW for each unit. The payback period for the CHP unit is 3-4 years. According to Mr Tomáš Holub, a Project Manager at MALFINI, a.s., the total unity efficiency is up to 107.4 %, making it one of the most efficient micro-cogenerators on the market with an exceptional electrical efficiency of 32.5 %. (Holub 2022a.)

The TOTEM micro-cogenerator produces electricity and heat at the same time, using a single fuel, such as biogas or natural gas, methane or biomethane. The combined heat and power are produced and consumed on-site, therefore, enabling high efficiency (class A+++) decentralized energy production. These micro-cogeneration units offer lower emissions in comparison with conventional condensing boilers, are modular, quiet (From 55 db(A) @1 mt) and rewarding with a short payback time (2 to 4 years). (Asja Ambiente Italia & Totem 2017; Asja Ambiente Italia 2018.)

A printscreen from a company website with three blogs of photos and up-to-date indicators of electricity produced since the beginning of the installation and since the year 2022. On the left - an indicator related to the Photovoltaic power station Ústí nad Labem, in the middle - the PV station in Ostrava, and on the right - the Cogeneration unit in Ostrava. At the bottom, there is an indicator of CO2 emission saving and an equivalent to planted trees.
Picture 3. The Green MALFINI site is dedicated to sharing information about energy production, consumption and accumulation. It also provides insights on emission saving and its equivalent to planted trees. (MALFINI A.S. 2022)

This innovative combination of the PV system with batteries and cogeneration almost covers the electricity need of the logistics centre (92-95%), including the energy supply for forklifts and a fast-charging station for e-cars. The complex system contributed to the overall reduction of emissions and greenhouse gases. (Holub 2022a.)

Author

Katerina Medkova who works as an RDI specialist at LAB University of Applied Sciences and is a Project & Communication Manager in the RESINDUSTRY project. RESINDUSTRY is supported by the Interreg Europe Programme funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and co-financed by the participants.

References

Asja Ambiente Italia & Totem. 2017. Why choose micro cogeneration? Find out about TOTEM. YouTube. Cited 12 Mar 2022. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unCOschImZY&t=2s

Asja Ambiente Italia. 2018. Totem: The Smart Way to Produce Heat and Power. Cited 12 Mar 2022. Available at http://www.totem.energy/en/features/

Holub, T. 2022a. Hybrid Photovoltaic System MALFINI – Ostrava. Presentation given at RESINDUSTRY Expert Mission in MALFINI on 10 February 2022.

Holub, T. 2022b. Photovoltaic System with Batteries and Cogeneration – Modern energy solutions in the company MALFINI, a.s. Presentation given at RESINDUSTRY Expert Mission in MALFINI on 10 February 2022.

MALFINI A.S. 2022. MALFINI. Cited 13 Mar 2022. Available at https://www.greenmalfini.cz/en/home

Links

Link 1. Interreg Europe. 2022a. Good practice: MALFINI – hybrid photovoltaic system with accumulation in batteries. Policy Learning Platform. RESINDUSTRY. Cited 13 Mar 2022. Available at https://www.interregeurope.eu/policylearning/good-practices/item/4714/malfini-hybrid-photovoltaic-system-with-accumulation-in-batteries/

Link 2. Interreg Europe. 2022b. Project Summary. RESINDUSTRY. Cited 10 Mar 2022. Available at https://www.interregeurope.eu/resindustry/

You may also like

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *