Name:
Biomass Heating Plant in the Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma

Location (settlement, country):
Pannonhalma, Hungary

Brief description of the technology:
The Benedictine Congregation functions in a historical building on the top of a hill near the village of Pannonhalma, surrounded by its own winery, herb plantations and botanical garden, boarding school and a museum. The abbey successfully installed a Biomass Heating Plant in the monastery in 2009 which combusts the wastes of the botanical garden and viticulture of the abbey itself (grape-stems, rests of lavender and the leafage and timber from the surrounding forests owned by the congregation), and furthermore woodchips from the forestry of the region (Kisalföld) secured by long term contracts to ensure continuous and low cost fuel supply. A 19 days storage capacity is provided in the building of the boiler with a 700m long heating pipeline. The annual operation cost of the plant is EUR 39 730 (11 000 000 HUF), and it consumes 1100 tons of woodchips a year. The plant covers 60% of the monastery’s heating needs, and the complete project helped to save 46.7% of their energy costs from 2009 to 2010.

Why is it a „Best practice”:
By spreading the idea that using renewable energy resources can be profitable for the owners, the region and for the community at the same time, this project is a genuine best practice. In agreement with the approach of the Abbey of Pannonhalma of the Hungarian Benedictine Congregation, the project finds solution to the practical usage of the large amount of horticultural waste produced on the fields of the abbey, meets the need for reducing energy costs and energy-dependence, and by organizing guided tours for the large number of visitors arriving not only from the region, but from all over the country, the project also has great potential in extensively propagating the advantages of bio-energy.

The clear economic benefits derived from the project are perfect tools for convincing other institutions, communities (in the first year it saved 46.7% of the energy costs).

The project improves the security of energy services, the comfort of the monastery residents, and helps the Benedictine Congregation saves money which thus can be invested in other socially and economically important projects. The project also allows the abbey to consider further developments regarding the operation and the exploitation of renewable energies, e.g. solar cells were placed on top of the building of the plant in June 2011 to improve energy-efficiency. Their 56 kW full capacity (adding the capacity of another solar-cell system on another building) covers approximately 10% of the monastery’s electricity needs.

The greenhouse gas emissions of Pannonhalma are also reduced by utilizing a renewable energy source (biomass) instead of gas.

Possibility for a visit or guided tour (yes / no):
Yes

Website:
http://bences.hu/cikk/fejlesztesek_es_beruhazasok.html

Contact person:
Mr. Gábor Staudt – Technical Manager of the Abbey
Telephone: 0036-96-570-173
Mobile: 0036-30-663-2754
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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