UKRAINE'S ENERGY INDEPENDENCE. NEW OPPORTUNITIES
The costs for heating, air conditioning and ventilation are almost half of all building operating costs. In conditions of rising of gas prices and electricity tariffs, the reduction of energy consumption is a priority issue of state economic policy, not only for the effective functioning of industry, the agro-industrial complex, services and utilities, but also for achieving Ukraine's energy independence.
As a rule, the solution of this issue is sought in the diversification of energy supplies, in the extraction of blue fuel and the development of shale gas, in the construction of LNG terminals or the replacement of gas with other fuels. Or in the direction of the development of "green" energy, which so far, unfortunately, Ukraine simply can not afford. It is the privilege of developed countries. Because, firstly, a huge amount of capital investment is required and, secondly, 1 kW of such energy costs significantly more than a kilowatt, obtained by traditional methods. Thus, alternative energy can develop exclusively through government subsidies and subsidies.
Today, Ukraine has its own unique environmentally friendly technologies that significantly reduce gas and electricity consumption. For the last 7 years, the scientists of the UPEC Engineering Center of the Air Turbo Technologies have been working on the development of a new generation of climate systems based on the possibility of obtaining thermal energy from the surrounding air environment.
The fundamentally new heat pump in the air cycle (TNVTs) is an alternative to the traditional (fuel combustion, electric heating) and expensive "green" technologies, and the kilowatt of heat produced is much cheaper than traditional methods.
Experimental and industrial exploitation of the TNVTs showed a reduction in the total costs for heating and ventilation in industrial premises by more than 3 times for the heating season, which made it possible to proceed to the development of industrial production of these systems.
Domestic developments have already received international recognition at international exhibitions, and the UPEC is negotiating with leading companies in various segments of the application of heat pump technology on the air cycle.
Real economy
In the TNVTs 1 kW of consumed electricity is transformed into 3-4 kWh of heat energy. The heating factor (COP) is 2.8-4.2, with a 100% fresh air supply..
The same air-cycle technology has also been developed an air-conditioning system (Air Cycle ATT HVAC system), which in winter works as a heat pump, and in the summer it is an air conditioner with COP 1,2-1,6 efficiency also with the possibility of a 100% fresh air intake.
In comparison with traditional systems of heating, ventilation and air conditioning, the cost of equipping with systems on the air cycle is cheaper by at least 15-20%, since the Air Cycle ATT HVAC system combines these three functions. Unlike, for example, well-known ground heat pumps, installation of TNVTs or Air Cycle ATT HVAC system does not require expensive installation and construction works. The operating costs are reduced by several times, and the payback period for most facilities does not exceed 3-4 years. After that, thanks to triple saving, TNVTs actually starts making money.
Vartan Petrosyants, Director and Chief Designer of the Engineering Center of Air Turbo Technologies of the UPEC Industrial Group:
"For example, when installing TNVTs in the pool of a sports complex with a room volume of 7500 cubic meters, the difference in costs compared to the use of heating elements is 185 thousand UAH for a heating season, and if to compare with gas heating, then more than 215 thousand UAH. At the same time, TNVTs for the pool, combines 3 functions simultaneously: ventilation, heating and dehumidification. And when heating with electric heaters, drainage of the pool is carried out with the help of additional equipment and has additional costs".
Step towards the energy independence
Considering the significant economic effect of the use of heat pumps on the air cycle, the state needs to create conditions for the introduction of energy-saving technologies through public-private partnership mechanisms, priority lending, leasing programs with the involvement of international financial institutions (within the EBRD financing in Ukraine, the Alternative Energy Financing Program of Ukraine AEFPU) and the Ukrainian Energy Efficiency Improvement Program (UEEIP)).
And if the creation of an infrastructure for the supply of liquefied gas and the drilling of shale gas wells will take years (and it is not certain that the price of this gas will be cheaper than imported gas), TNVTs implementation takes considerably less time and does not require budgetary expenditures. The initial costs are borne by the consumer, which must be provided with long, cheap money. And thus give an incentive for the widespread adoption of energy-saving technology, in order to obtain an effect on the scale of the country.
For example, to replace consumption of 1 billion cubic meters of natural gas used for heating, there is has to be investment of less than $ 1 billion for the installation of heat pumps in the air cycle with a payback period of 3-4 years.
These investments have a long-term effect and make it possible to take a real step towards increasing their energy independence.
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