BSR InnoShip roundtable in the Baltic Sea Day, St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg hosted the XIV International Environmental Forum “Baltic Sea Day” on the 20-22nd of March, which gathered over 600 participants from the HELCOM member countries. 

This year a lot of special attention was paid to international projects and initiatives which make input for fulfillment of international commitments. As BSR InnoShip (Baltic Sea cooperation for reducing ship and port emissions through knowledge- & innovation-based competitiveness) has had close and successful co-operation with the City of St. Petersburg in implementing the project actions, this year we had a chance to host an own roundtable session during the Baltic Sea Day.

Mr. Dmitry Frank-Kamenetsky presenting
the emission measurements around
the city of St.Petersburg

The topics discussed concentrated mostly on the main outputs of the project, presenting a cause and effect –chain. The Meteorological Institute of Finland submitted AIS-data about ship traffic and emissions collected between the years 2006-2011, from which it could easily be defined that although the traffic on the Baltic Sea is increasing, it is also highly affected by the dominant economic situation. The actual negative impacts of emissions were discussed on a Pan-Baltic level, but also more regionally by the examples from the measurements around the area of St. Petersburg. Also some new technologies for diesel engine exhaust treatment (e.g. a combined DBD reactor-catalyst assembly) were introduced.

During all discussions in both the Baltic Sea Day and BSR InnoShip roundtable it became clear, that the attitudes towards emission restrictions from shipping are still somewhat different around the Baltic Sea area. Although the IMO regulations are ratified widely, the attitudes vary from east to west – as the western part sees also possibilities in the regulations, the east is more worried about the negative economic influences and modal shift. A more explicit guidance for implementing the regulations is needed from the governmental level especially in Russia.

The St. Petersburg flood prevention facility complex

In connection to a project partner meeting, BSR InnoShip partners also had an opportunity for a site visit at the St. Petersburg Dam. The dam is originally built for protecting the city from storm surges, and it separates the Neva Bay from the rest of the Gulf of Finland. The principles of all functions were presented to us by local employees. The dam also serves other important functions, as there are numerous wastewater treatment plants around the dam for cleaning the water in Neva Bay. As one of the greatest construction projects in Russia, the sight was really impressive.

So, this time the BSR InnoShip partners had the pleasure of enjoying the Russian hospitality and had also a glimpse of the beauty of the city – St. Petersburg is definitely a place to visit!

Author: Mia Hytti, project coordinator, BSR InnoShip project

European Sustainable Energy Week - Time to display how UBC member cities lead in sustainable energy initiatives

 

The European Sustainable Energy Week 2013 (EUSEW)  is an event organised by the European Commission that promotes renewable energy and energy efficiency. Every year, hundreds of European municipalities take part by organising their local Energy Day. By doing so, they become part of EUSEW and a European movement, gain visibility for their projects and attract the attention from media. All organisers will receive support in communication from the EUSEW secretariat.

As a city, you can sign up with an event at the Energy Days during EUSEW, which provides citizens of the city a opportunity to learn and discuss sustainable energy solutions in their city as well as putting the city on the European map. By signing up with an event the city:

• Raise the profile and improve the image of your organisation, town, city or region
• Become a part of a European movement
• Spread your sustainable energy technologies and practices 
• Attract media attention and make headlines
• Receive additional visibility and support for your event from the EUSEW Secretariat.

To submit your Energy Day, please create an account on the EUSEW website and fill in the application form under ‘Organise an event’.

For more information visit the EUSEW website
Or watch the short introduction video below

 

Networking Covenant of Mayors - The Baltic Sea Region Covenant Club video

A new video has been produced where several European Mayors express their endorsement to the European Covenant Clubs where cities that have signed up for the Covenant of Mayors can share and discuss their ideas in order to decrease their cities CO₂ emissions by 20pct in 2020.

UBC Commission on Environment hosts the Baltic Sea Region Covenant Club. The club consists of an interactive mailing list where questions can be raised and challenges discussed. The BSR Covenant Club also arranges a series of workshop where specific elements of the obligations within the Covenant of Mayors can be discussed in an open forum. Next event will take place in Tallinn on 12 April in relation to the Joint Commission Meeting, where the overall theme is Sustainable Transport.
You are welcome to join the BSR Covenant Club discussion list or contact UBC EnvCom for further information.

Investments in four wastewater treatment plants in Belarus are accelerating!

PRESTO project aims at decreasing excess load of nutrients to the water bodies by carrying out investments in enhanced nutrient removal at four wastewater treatment plants in Belarus: Baranovichi, Grodno, Molodechno and Vitebsk. 

Preparation of investments started in 2012 with the technical audits at each of the wastewater treatment plant. The technical audits were carried out by Pöyry Finland Oy, hired by John Nurminen Foundation which is in charge of investment part in PRESTO. 

The work included gathering of needed baseline data on the current technical processes, planning of the most cost effective and feasible solutions for improved nutrient removal as well as preparing tender documentation for the investments that are going to be realized. The necessary technology to decrease the concentration of phosphorus in purified wastewater in order to achieve HELCOM recommendation was selected.

Technical reports became the solid basis for further work and showcase the diverse challenges to be addressed in each of the four waste water treatment plants. The four wastewater treatment plants are now about to complete their first tender procedure in PRESTO for the local design to adjust the technical designs into Belarusian local context. 

As a next step, tenders for construction works, equipment supply and installation will be launched.

All four PRESTO investing partners are discharging their waters to Neman and Daugava rivers which belong to Baltic Sea catchment area. As a consequence, reducing trans boundary nutrient load from Belarus will improve not only water quality of European rivers but also the state of the Baltic Sea. More information on PRESTO project at: www.prestobalticsea.eu

Investing partner Baranovichi WWTP

Text by: Agnieszka Ilola, UBC Environmental Commission, Project Officer, PRESTO Project

Towards Green & Efficient Maritime Cluster in Central Baltic Sea Region

The SmartComp project is going on full speed and the first research report Maritime cluster analysis on the Central Baltic region was published in December 2012. The report concludes that maritime clusters of the Central Baltic region (CBR) operate rather separately and mostly compete with each other, even though they are in the face of common challenges and the toughest competitors can be found in the gigantic clusters in the Far East.

“To keep one step ahead, both the cluster companies and political quarters have to recognize the preconditions of competitiveness – mutual cooperation and resources for further development. Competitiveness cannot be maintained without continuous investments,” says Project Researcher Eini Laaksonen from the Pan‐European Institute of the University of Turku, Finland, the Leader of the SmartComp research team.

Since the bid for a a multi-million euro luxury cruise ship was lost to a sister shipyard in France, the future of the Finnish shipbuilding industry has been very much on the agenda in Finland. It is clear that there is interest towards the input that SmartComp can bring to the field.

The project is aiming at increasing the networking between academia, businesses and public sector in the Central Baltic region maritime clusters. In February, two events under the title Towards Green & Efficient Maritime Cluster in Central Baltic Sea Region will take place in Tallinn to contribute to this aim - a Policy Development Roundtable (12 February) and a Seminar (13 February). The events provide a unique opportunity for public, business and academic actors to discuss these current issues in the maritime field. You're welcome to join us!

PURE partners learning about wastewater treatment in Turku

For the last event of PURE project its partners have been invited to Turku on December 11^th to visit Kakola wastewater treatment plant and the biogas plant of Biovakka.

This modern and the third biggest in Finland WWTP has its facilities built-in the rock of Kakola hill. The construction was completed in 2008, and now plant is serving the population of 300 000 inhabitants in the Turku region. Despite being pretty costly investment for the city, it replaced five existing plants. Kakola WWTP allows more efficient effluent treatment, and due to this discharge to the sea is reduced by 30-50 %.  The heat energy of the sewage water is transferred into distant heating energy (18 MW) and distant cooling energy (35 MW) in a special thermal pump owned by Turku Energy Ltd. During the excursion, PURE project specialists from Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Germany traveled through the treatment process had an opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss experiences with Kakola engineers.

Later the group visited Biovakka’s Topinoja plant on Turku landfill, where the wastewater treatment sludge is treated and processed into biogas. This plant receives from Kakkola WWTP approximately 60 000-80 000 tonnes of sludge annually, which is undergone hygienisation (by heating the biomass in order to remove seeds and pathogens), anaerobic digestion (carried out in a completely closed and oxygen-free space), conversion of anaerobic digestion residues into recycled nutrients, biogas desulphurisation and storage. Later biogas is used as an environmentally friendly source of heat and electricity. Biovakka is also responsible for the final deposition of recycled nutrients generated in the process, and plans on producing biofuel in the near future.

Picture: scheme of Kakola WWTP

Author: Olena Zinchuk

 

PRESTO project seminar on sustainable sludge management in Daugavpils, Latvia

More than 80 representatives of wastewater sector in the Baltic Sea Region gathered to discuss sustainable solutions for sludge management on the “Sustainable sludge management” seminar on 23 – 24 October 2012 in Daugavpils, Latvia.

Waste to resource approach has to be applied to sludge management in order to follow the principles of sustainable development. With sewage sludge this is a great challenge all over the world as it contains well recognized contaminants such as heavy metals, pathogens and poorly biodegradable trace organic compounds. At the same time, sludge is rich in nutrients (N & P) and contains valuable organic matter that is useful when soils are depleted or subject to erosion and can be used in renewable energy production.  

“Digestion of municipal sludge is an efficient way to reduce emission of greenhouse gases and produce renewable energy” said in his presentation Jukka Lehtovuori from Kemira Ltd.

Seminar addressed technical aspects of sludge treatment including latest trends, practical solutions as well as safe sludge reuse and disposal alternatives. During the site visit to the hosting waste water treatment plant of Daugavpils udens Ltd. the participants had a chance to familiarize themselves with the lately modernized post-soviet waste water treatment plant and hear about the reconstructions that have been done to improve the nutrient removal and sludge handling.

“Thanks to the investments already finalized within PRESTO project, we have now well-equipped workstation for testing samples of wastewater and sludge” said Aleksandra Vasiljeva from Daugavpils udens Ltd.

The seminar continued next day in Kaunas, Lithuania, with Laboratory Clinique, an interactive learning session for laboratory practitioners, led by Technical University of Berlin.

New fume cupboard purchased within PRESTO project

Old fume cupboard

Text by: Agnieszka Ilola, UBC Environmental Commission, Project Officer, PRESTO Project