Cost-effective energy efficiency in the Czech Republic

Energy efficiency is a particularly important issue in the emerging economies of Eastern Europe. Much of the energy used in the Czech Republic is supplied by lignite, a soft brown form of coal. Its combustion is largely responsible for an extreme acid rain problem and other forms of air pollution and land use complications. Additionally, inefficient energy use is prevalent, placing additional stresses on an already fragile economy. This paper reports on a project in the mid-sized (250,000 residents) and industrial city of Plzen, in the Czech Republic. The Facility Energy Decision Screening (FEDS) process, developed by PNL for the U.S. Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), was applied to the city to determine the level of cost-effective energy efficiency potential in the city. Significant potential was found to exist, primarily in large, cooperatively owned apartment buildings heated by district systems.