Unibep will invest €20.1 million in Zgorzelec, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, as part of a consortium with Energika Zbigniew Szamałek Sp. Komandytowa.
This will be Unibep's fifth biomass heating plant.
An agreement was signed on 20 November for the implementation of the project, entitled: "Integrated network for innovative transformation and decarbonisation of heating (UNITED HEAT), Stage I Construction of a biomass heating plant".
United Heat is part of the Polish-German cooperation with Stadtwerke Görlitz.
The project, co-financed under the European programme Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), is a key stage in the energy transformation of both cities.
The goal is to create an ecological, climate-neutral heating network that will reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 50,000. tons per year, improving the quality of life of residents in the entire area of the 'European City' Zgorzelec-Görlitz.
Earlier, on November 6, 2024, an agreement was signed with the European Executive Agency for Climate, Infrastructure and Environment (CINEA) to co-finance this investment in the amount of 50%.
Unibep and the consortium member will build a biomass heating plant, consisting of two new water boilers fired with wood biomass with the same design and technological solutions, each with a rated power of 12.5 MW, along with the following installations: fuel feeding, combustion products discharge and purification exhaust gases, chimney, auxiliary equipment and fuel storage, explained Anna Michalska, director of the construction offering office energy and industry at Unibep.
The project is carried out in the 'design and build' formula.
The direct remuneration of Unibep for the implementation of the contract is approximately €7.4 million.
According to the agreement, construction works will begin in 2025, and the completion of the investment and launch of the new energy source is planned for the end of 2026.
"This is the fifth biomass heating plant that we will implement, but the first in western Poland. Previously, we built them in Hajnówka, Ełk and Orzysz. Investors are satisfied with them because the boiler rooms operate, are tested and meet the assumed parameters," added Józef Szawara, director of energy and industrial construction at Unibep.
"I believe that the energy segment has quite a good future ahead of it - moving away from coal means that investors are preparing a lot of investments in biomass, in the modernisation of large heating plants.
"As a company, we are prepared in terms of human resources, we have competent managers, we have tools for technical and financial control of projects, to efficiently develop this segment of Unibep SA's operations. We establish well-thought-out consortiums in these tenders, with proven technological partners. This is what happened with the investment in Zgorzelec."
Unibep plans biomass heating plant in Zgorzelec, Poland
