Timisoara will save 5.7 million euros by reducing CO2 emissions

The city plans to invest millions into district heating and electricity production to lower emissions and protect citizens from the volatility of the gas market

Last week, Timisoara’s Mayor Dominic Fritz, announced that the city was preparing its largest ever investment into the district heating network. Authorities want to purchase 10 high-efficiency energy heating systems, that are capable of producing both heat and electricity.

The investment should cost the local government about 230 million lei, or the equivalent of 46 million euros. The funding for the project, on the other hand, should come from the Romanian Recovery and Resilience Plan.

While the plan was originally intended by the EU to serve as a jumpstart to national economies after the pandemic was over, the outbreak of the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis have caused many countries to shift away from planned projects.

Nevertheless, the shift in some Romanian cities has been towards sustainable energy, offering a long-term solution to the energy issue, as well as fighting climate change.

Two-fold energy savings

As AGERPRESS reports, Mayor Fritz explained that the energy savings will be two-fold. Once, the reduced consumption of fuel for district heating, and the other, because the new heating systems will emit around 71,400 tons of CO2 less annually.

This means that municipal authorities will also be able to save on EUA carbon certificates, which are the rough equivalent of 5.7 million euros per year. The local government will also help to fund the purchase, to the tune of 200,000 euros, or the equivalent of 1 million lei.

The mayor pointed out that this is the only way to cover the gap between Timisoara and other Romanian cities in terms of heating options for citizens. He also emphasised that this purchase would help the city be less dependent on gas price fluctuation because the new heating system will offer citizens both electricity and district heating.

City officials have said that the construction should only take about 12 months and believe that they will have a functioning heating system at the start of 2024.