Elsevier

Energy

Volume 34, Issue 5, May 2009, Pages 532-539
Energy

Sustainable development of the Belgrade energy system

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2008.01.013Get rights and content

Abstract

Cities are the most important energy consumers of any country in all energy vector components. Nowadays, Belgrade as a cultural, educational, scientific, administrative, political, and business center of the region with its own structure of production, transportation, services, and urban system, represents significant consumer of different energy forms. Only useful and final energy is delivered to energy consuming sectors of a city. Simulation model MAED was used in this paper to estimate energy demand in city for a long time period. On the basis of energy demand forecast for three major ‘energy consumers’ (sectors of household/service, industry, and transportation) until 2020, the sustainable development ‘scenarios’ of Belgrade energy system are developed (2005–2010, 2010–2015, 2015–2020). For each ‘scenario’, the energy systems of primary resources are determined so to satisfy the predicted differences in energy consumption for the mentioned time intervals until 2020. In this case different ‘scenarios’ are evaluated. The evaluation of ‘scenarios’ sustainability is obtained by method of multi-criteria analysis. Using energy indices for sustainable development, the following indices are taken into consideration for the assessment of scenario sustainability: economical, social, and environmental. The obtained results can be used by experts in decision-making process.

Introduction

Energy system of modern society shows elements of unsustainable development due to growing use of fossil fuel, increasing energy consumption and emission of environmental pollutants. In order to maintain balance of ecosystem and stimulate economic development, it is necessary to change and moderate these elements of unsustainable energy system development. So far, the activities related to the sustainable development of energy system have included reducing of emission of greenhouse gases and pollutant gases, increasing the safety of energy supply and use of renewable energy sources, improving of energy efficiency and quality of life.

In evaluation of energy conditions in the world or certain country, it is necessary to analyze energy system in cities. Concentration of social and economical forces in cities is in increase, making them the most important and the largest energy consumers.

According to recent statistical data, there are 1,700,000 people living in Belgrade today, in 16 city municipalities with a total of 670,000 households. Belgrade (670,000 consumers) is supplied with the electricity generated mostly in domestic coal-fired power plant. The most numerous category of consumers is the ‘household’ sector. The electricity consumption in the household sector was 4.051 TWh during 2005, as follows: 2.432 TWh for space heating, 0.81 TWh for heating of sanitary water and for cooking, and 0.810 TWh for air-conditioning and household electrical appliances [1].

Consumer area of Belgrade is supplied with thermal energy by district heating system consisting of 15 heating plants which use gas and crude oil as basic fuel. Statistical data show that 38% of buildings are connected to the district heating system, that is, 240,000 flats and 7500 business offices are heated in that way [2], [3]. In the scope of the Belgrade environmental protection programme, construction of thermal network and gas distribution network in downtown area takes an important place, so approximately 800 individual solid fuel boilers have been shut down so far. Table 1 shows structure of total final energy consumption in the ‘household’ and ‘service’ sector in 2005.

Structure of used final energy in the ‘transportation’ sector in 2005 is shown in Table 2. Electricity consumption in ‘transportation’ sector refers to the electricity consumption used for operation of trams and trolleys. Also, energy consumption of all motor fuel types used in the city of Belgrade for freight and passenger transportations is shown.

Table 3 presents structure of energy consumption in the ‘industry’ sector in 2005. Consumptions of motor fuel (crude oil and other liquid fuels used in industry), electricity consumed in industry at the voltage of 10 and 35 kV, and useful thermal energy (steam production, heating of furnace, space, and water) are shown in this table.

Section snippets

Sustainability in urban area

Cities are the biggest consumers of the country's energy production. The increase in annual consumption of total primary energy is 3% and its largest part is used for lighting, cooking, heating, cooling, and transport of freights and passengers. Large quantity of energy is lost due to inefficient energy consumption in the sectors of household, transportation and industry [4].

It should be noted how important it is to reduce the energy consumption level, by changing the forms of consumption and

Assessment of Belgrade long-term energy needs

Belgrade today, as a cultural, educational, scientific, administrative, political, and business center of the region with its own structure of production, transportation, servicing, and urban system presents the important consumer of various energy carriers. Energy system of Belgrade has a complex structure and consists of numerous suppliers of different energy forms on one side and many energy consumers on the other side. Since only carriers of useful and final energy deliver to the consumer

Assessment of Belgrade energy system sustainability

In the assessment of scenario sustainability, sustainability measurement is essential. Criteria for assessment of scenario sustainability have to be defined on the basis of several aspects: economical, social, and environmental [11]. In accordance with the energy needs calculation of three main energy ‘consumers’, scenarios of energy system development for Belgrade until 2020 are formed, Table 4.

For each scenario, the energy system of primary resources (ESPR) that should satisfy the predicted

Conclusion

Nowadays, Belgrade presents very important consumer of various energy forms. Determination of Belgrade energy needs regarding three greatest consumer sectors is defined by simulation model of MAED. For the predicted energy needs, scenarios that meet better understanding, tracking, and analyzing of sustainable development are created.

In the scope of each scenario, ESPR that should satisfy predicted differences in energy consumption for the time intervals until 2020 are determined. In

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank the Bureau of Informatics and Statistics in Belgrade for providing valuable information and data.

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