Unibep, in partnership with Energika Zbigniew Szamałek Sp. Komandytowa, is set to invest €20.1 million in a biomass heating plant in Zgorzelec, located in Poland’s Lower Silesian Voivodeship. This marks Unibep’s fifth biomass heating facility and its first in western Poland.
On November 20, 2024, the consortium signed an agreement to implement the project, titled “Integrated Network for Innovative Transformation and Decarbonisation of Heating (UNITED HEAT), Stage I: Construction of a Biomass Heating Plant.” The initiative is part of a Polish-German collaboration with Stadtwerke Görlitz and is co-financed under the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).
The project aims to create a climate-neutral heating network for the European City of Zgorzelec-Görlitz, targeting a reduction in CO₂ emissions by approximately 50,000 tons annually. This effort will significantly improve air quality and contribute to the energy transition of both cities.
Earlier, on November 6, 2024, Unibep secured co-financing from the European Executive Agency for Climate, Infrastructure, and Environment (CINEA), covering 50% of the investment cost.
The heating plant will feature two identical water boilers powered by wood biomass, each with a rated capacity of 12.5 MW. Supporting installations will include systems for fuel feeding, combustion product removal and purification, exhaust gas treatment, auxiliary equipment, a chimney, and a fuel storage facility. The design and construction will follow a “design-and-build” model.
Unibep’s share of the contract is valued at €7.4 million. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2025, with completion and commissioning planned for late 2026.
“This is our fifth biomass heating plant and our first in western Poland. Previous plants in Hajnówka, Ełk, and Orzysz have proven successful, with investors satisfied by their performance and adherence to specifications,” said Józef Szawara, Unibep’s Director of Energy and Industrial Construction.
Szawara highlighted the bright future for the energy segment, driven by a shift away from coal and a surge in investments in biomass and heating plant modernization. “As a company, we are well-prepared, with experienced teams, robust tools for project management, and trusted technological partners,” he added, emphasizing the strategic formation of consortiums, as demonstrated by the Zgorzelec project.