Environmental Impacts

The Celje District Heating Plant is located on the north-eastern outskirts of Celje, in an area that is categorised as industrial zone in the city’s planning documents.

The built area of the heating plant will be 2,000 m2, while the total area of land on which the heating plant and all the corresponding plants will be located is 1.5 ha.
The quality of living in this area, located in the vicinity of the Cinkarna Celje plant (originally a zinc smelter) is low and the population correspondingly sparse.
The anticipated environmental impacts are in accordance with the environmental standards for such plants.


Air and Water Emissions

Air emissions from the incineration plant will be lower than the permitted emission limit values stipulated in the BREF document for waste incineration. These values are substantially lower than the permitted values stipulated by the Decree on the Emission of Substances into the Atmosphere from Waste Incineration and Co-Incineration Plants. This assertion is based on the results of a trial incineration conducted in the pilot combustion plant using combustion technology identical to that chosen for the Celje District Heating Plant.

Wastewater is generated in the system for energy generation and will be lead to a bilge dump or, if necessary, neutralised and cooled and, after measurements are conducted, lead to the sewage network.
Meteoric precipitation will flow over oil catchers and sludge sedimentation basins in the retention basin and from there it will be lead to the Hudinja River.


The Prevention of Accidents and the Consequences of an Ecological Accident

The prevention of accidents will be ensured by following the regulations stipulating the operation of such plants and the handling of hazardous substances.
The construction of fire protection, adapted to the type of the plants, is planned as defined in the Document for Fire Protection, which is a constituent part of the technical documentation.
Under the stated conditions, the possibility of an ecological accident is slight. Successful and safe operation will be ensured by electronically managed processes and emission monitoring enabling permanent measurements of the following parameters:
-  carbon monoxide,
-  nitrogen oxides,
-  oxygen,
-  sulphur oxides,
-  hydrogen chloride,
-  hydrogen fluoride,
-  total organic carbon,
-  mercury,
-  moisture content in flue gases,
-  total dust,
-  temperature of flue gases,
-  absolute pressure of flue gases,
-  flow rate of dry flue gases.

Based on readings and electronic data processing, inappropriate values will automatically cause the incineration process to shut down following the prepared protocol.


Positive Effects 

The realisation of the Celje District Heating Plant will have the following positive effects:

-  the quantity of waste deposited at the Bukovžlak landfill will be reduced by 65%,
-  incineration will solve the problem of sludge from the municipal waste treatment plant in an ecologically appropriate manner,
-  the heat obtained from the incineration will be used in the cogeneration of electricity and heat.

The acquired heat will be used for the needs of the district heating of Celje. The electric power will partially be used for the facility’s own needs and the surplus will be placed in the distribution network.

From the environmental point of view, the following positive effects need to be emphasised:

-  net savings of fossil fuel – earth gas of about 549.036 m3/annually,
-  reduction in greenhouse emissions and total organic carbon (less than 3%).