Why cooling on gas?
Hot summers in Dalmatia are becoming more frequent. More comfortable temperatures are achieved by instalment of air conditioners, whose increasing number also affects the increase of electricity consumption for space cooling and the increase in energy costs. A significant boom in the use of air conditioners is also caused by the continued growth of tourism. Up until now, electricity was used almost exclusively for cooling in Dalmatia.
Cooling on gas is an alternative for cooling on electricity, because, alongside it being used for heating of spaces, hot water preparation, cooking or in production processes, gas can also be used for cooling and air-conditioning of spaces. . This is illustrated by the examples of various organizations such as Kindergarten Grigor Vitez, Hotel Porto, Podravka in Dugopolje within their warehouse and distribution centre, which already use gas for heating, cooling, hot water heating, cooking and laundry needs.
Gas is proving to be an ideal solution for use in all buildings that need hot water and cooling, with significantly lower costs. Some facilities that are already connected to gas and need hot water can easily start using gas for cooling purposes also. In order for them to be able to do this they just have to change the outdoor units, while inside the facility everything remains the same. In buildings where gas is yet to be installed, it is sufficient to install one device that will allow the premises to be both heated and cooled.
There are devices on the market that provide complete solutions, whether they be gas-powered or heat-absorption pumps, commonly known as gas heat pumps. The by-product of gas heat pumps is hot water. All devices are characterized by having a low environmental impact, especially the ozone layer, because they do not use freons. They also have a very low impact on climate change due to their reduced emissions of CO2, SO2, NOx and other harmful gases.
Cost effectiveness of using gas for cooling
The price of gas is much lower than the price of electricity. The price of gas heat pumps is higher than the price of electricity heat pumps. However, due to the large difference in the cost of energy and the lower cost of connection to gas, the investment pays off quickly. Additionally, the use of a gas heat pump reduces electricity consumption by 90%.
Gas prices for the household category and the price of gas connection are regulated by the Croatian Energy Regulatory Agency. Households in the first three tariff models from April 1, 2019, pay HRK 0.3074 per kWh (without VAT), which makes it an extremely favourable source of energy, more favourable by 30 to 60% over other energy sources. The connection cost is HRK 5,500 which includes the installation of a connection line, housing, manifold and pressure regulator. For apartments the price varies depending on the number of apartments in the apartment block. After signing the supply contract, an additional amount of HRK 1,500 is paid for the gas meter. However, as each building is specific, it is difficult to give a unique calculation of the cost of introducing gas.
Gas conference at the Amadria Park Hotel Jure
EVN Croatia hosted a gas conference at the Amadria Park Hotel Jure on Oct. 3rd, 2019. The main objective of the event was to highlight the possibilities of using gas for cooling and air-conditioning purposes, to explain the technology of chillers and heat pumps on gas and to give the interested public examples of the cost effective and efficient cooling method.
How to get cooling on gas?
To be able to use gas for cooling it is enough to take a few simple steps. For any additional information you can call the toll-free number 0800 / 820-820 or call our sales manager:
Tomislav Kera, sales manager
023/447-106
tomislav.kera@evn.hr
