Noisun at the Energy- and Environment center in Varberg
29-04-2014
Project manager Henrik Bengtsson presented Lerum municipality’s Vision 2025 – to become the leading ecomunicipality in 2025 or earlier and how the idea of the project arose.
At the seminar, organized by the Energy- and Environmental center in Varberg, attended some 15 people from from business, community and university.
The Municipality of Lerum together with SP – Technical Research Institute, the Swedish Transport Administration and Lerum Fjärrvärme AB works towards the overall objective to demonstrate an innovative noise barrier that produces solar heating, which is distributed to the district heating network.
Interest in the project was large and discussions about possible similar solutions in Varberg came up.
The Energy and Environment Centre is a unique business initiative where several companies have joined forces to highlight climate issues on the agenda within the business community. Learn more about EMC on http://www.emcsverige.se.
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Great interest for Noisun – within and outside Sweden.
The Noisun project, 400 m noise barrier with solar collectors, awakens many people’s curiosity. This is particularly noticeable in the number of visitors to the project website.
Since the start in 2012, it has been visited more than 9000 times by visitors from all over the world. Particular interest is visible from the UK. However, the site has received visits from more distant places such as New Zealand, Bangladesh and the United States.
Follow the project, www.noisun.se.
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Building permit approved!
The planning department approves building permit for the noise barrier with solar collectors and including a technical buildings for the facility.
The 400 meter noise barrier with solar collectors in Lerum makes Noisun a unique project. With the building permit the project is a step closer to fruition. The noise barrier will reduce the number of people disturbed by noise, and at the same time produce solar heat to the local district heating network.
In the building permit process there has been an exhibition with information about the project, at the town hall in Lerum. Eighteen people expressed their opinion on the design of the noise barrier via the project website. The question asked was: What do you think about the design of the barrier? There were three possible answers, Nice, Ugly or No Opinion. 78 percent of the respondents indicated that they think it’s nice, 22 percent have no opinion, and 0 percent think it’s ugly.
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European Commissioner for Energy details his proposal for the Energy Roadmap 2050
In this eBook the Noisun project, one of Sweden’s most interesting environmental projects, is presented. The EU Commissioner for Energy, Günther H. Oettinger also details his proposals for the Energy Roadmap 2050 and how it will influence Europe’s energy strategy.
Read the eBook here: Noisun eBook 2014
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Procurement of construction
The design of the noise barrier of solar collectors is now engineered and the project is now implementing the procurement of the contract. The tender documents are available on www.upphandlingar.nu. Last day to submit bids will be March 3rd 2014.
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Noisun at West Sweden conference
Noisun was presented as an example of the LIFE program at West Sweden conference on Oct. 16 ”What awaits after 2013? – EU sectoral programs 2014-2020 ”.
The conference outlined the new program arena and the options available under the forthcoming EU sectoral programs.
The content of the LIFE+ project Noisun and the expected results, challenges and added value was presented as well as the experiences from the application process of LIFE+.
The design
A design proposal are now at hand!
The stretch varies in height, which means that the screen needs to be levelled in steps. The new noise barrier will create a better sound environment in the residential area while the road’s immediate environment becomes more orderly as the embankment is hidden by the new construction.
Noise barrier facing Göteborgsvägen will have a trellis of larch. Larch has to start with a yellowish tinge, which later becomes increasingly gray. The trellis will be hung outside the construction and provide a homogeneous appearance. In connection to the ground, is a socket of gray minerit. At one stretch the noise barrier is very close to Göteborgsvägen and here a retaining wall of concrete will be needed.
In some places, where there is enough space, new plants, trees, shrubs will be planted as well as climbing plants on the trellis.
The solar collector noise barrier is clearly visablefrom the E20 and the main western line. In connection to the ground a base of minerit will be built.
In the municipal building entrance (Bagges Torg, Lerum) is now an exhibition of the project, where comments also can be submitted.
Report from Internoise 2013
Project manager Henrik Bengtsson, today presented the project at the International Conference; InterNoise 2013 – Noise control for quality of life.
There was a considerable interest and some forty people came to learn more about the unique solution where noise from the highway and the railroad can be reduced and at the same time heat is produced to the local district heating network.
During the three-day conference, a total of about 720 reports in various noise areas and their impact on quality of life were presented.
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Questionnaire study on percieved noise impact
A questionnaire study has been conducted in order to identify the current noise situation in the residential area before having the noise barrier protection. The questionnaire study is targeted to investigate the perceived noise impact.
The questionnaire was posed to 369 people, of which 280 responded, representing a response rate of 76%. The most important noise sources in the residential area are the rail and road traffic, with the next most important source being noise from neighbours.
In the studied residential area, around 68.5% of the residents do not have access to a quiet room in their flat/house where they do not notice road or rail traffic noise, even with the window ajar. About 81.5% of the residents do not have access to a quiet place outdoors adjacent to their flat/house where they do not notice road or rail traffic noise. These two figures indicate the demands to reduce noise from the rail and road traffic.
As a result of this, the creation of a barrier to reduce noise from the rail and road traffic will, to a large extent, diminish the impact of environmental noise in the studied residential area.
Read the full report here (Questionnaire study 2013)
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Noisun at Internoise 2013
NOISUN will be presented at Internoise2013, the 42nd International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering, which will be held in Innsbruck in September.
To find out more about Internoise2013 and to register for the congress, please visit http://www.internoise2013.com/
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Broschur in english
A brochure in English is now available under Documents.
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Sweden’s most interesting environmental project
The Noisun project in the Municipality of Lerum, where a 400 m noise barrier consisting of solar collectors will be built, is ranked as the most interesting environmental project in Sweden, in a ranking of Swedish municipal environmental projects made by Miljöaktuellt.
In the overall ranking of the Swedish municipalities work with environmental issues, the Municipality of Lerum is ranked in a creditable fifth place.
Read more: http://miljoaktuellt.idg.se/2.1845/1.514441/15-kommunala-miljoprojekt-i-framkant
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Environmental engineering soil investigation
A general environmental engineering soil investigation is now complete!
At the distance of the planned installation no impurities has been found.When working in with the construction of the facility soil will be excavated to install the foundation. Excavated material has been tested for contaminants. The aim of the study was to identify possible contaminant species, concentration and distribution in the soil and if they require special handling.
At the distance of the planned installation no impurities has been found.
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Adaptation of solar collectors
On May 17, 2013 a sound insulation test of the splice between the solar collectors was made at the SP’s sound laboratory.
The soundproofing of a construction is described by its reduction index. The reduction index is defined as a ratio between the incident acoustic power on the one side of a wall and acoustic power transmitted to the other side of the same wall, and indicated in decibels (dB).
A sound insulation measurement is made by placing a speaker that emits noise in a room. Then you measure the sound pressure level in both rooms, as an average in the room.
In order to determine the sound insulation of the noise barrier splice, a noise barrier splice consisting of bent aluminium profiles between two blocks has been tested. The two blocks should be likened to solar thermal panels and consisted of two plywood boards on either side of a wooden frame with joists. The space between the plywood sheets were filled with mineral wool.
The result of the test is that the noise reduction in the splice between the solar panels is adequate and the splice will function properly to assemble the solar panels.
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Planning the construction
Here is a short summary of what the NOISUN project team is working with at the moment;
Position measurements of the railway, railway embankment, contact wires and some 200 meters of Göteborgsvägen have been made in order to update the ground model for the construction.
Calculations of noise impact depending on different heights of the noise barrier are made. The calculations include different sound sources, rail and highway, in order to obtain the optimal height of the noise barrier.
We make investigation and optimization of relevant foundation methods such as concrete foundations and piles, for the project. The stability in the embankment, the need for sheet piling and need for excavation will also be examined.
A description and design of HVAC plant and associated equipment are developed.
Other topics to investigate are e.g. protective grounding, merge of the solar collectors to prevent noise from going through the barrier and the type of glass in the solar collectors in order to withstand stone chipping.
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NOISUN presented at the Traffic noise days 2013
Noisun – the noise barrier that produces heat – a unique project in Lerum, was presented at the Traffic noise days, held in Stockholm January 29 to 30 2013.
The conference also presented different solutions to noise problems in vulnerable areas, as well as news in noise research, legal regulations and recent court cases
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Geotechnical field survey
Geotechnical field surveys are carried out on the stretch for the noise barrier of solar collectors.
The investigations are made in order to determine soil sequence, soil type, piling possibility, earth resistance and groundwater levels.
The results of the survey will provide the basis for selection of technical solutions in the project.
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Central Lerum gets noise barriers producing solar energy
The municipality of Lerum will in a unique and innovative investment build a 400 meters noise barrier with sun energy production. The location of the noise barrier is now selected. It will be in the central of Lerum, between the viaduct in Aspedalen to Takåsen.
– We have investigated three possible locations in the municipality for the facility and this is the place with the best conditions, says Henrik Bengtsson, project manager in LerumMunicipality.
This is where there live most people of the surveyed sites, i.e. most favoured by reduced noise. The facility can be 400 meters at the site, which is longer than on the other sites. It means that this plant can be made bigger and produce more energy. It is also close to the district heating network and a storage tank in the nearby district heating plant in Aspedalen is available, for convenient storage of energy.
In the area, the number of properties and people exposed to noise levels above the guideline value of 55 dB, will be reduced by 60-90 per cent.
During week 2 a geotechnical survey will be made the selected route. At the same time a number of other technical studies and investigations of systems and equipment is made.
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Kick-off meeting LIFE+ projects 2011
November 19th 2012 participants from 25 LIFE+ project from Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Malta and the UK met at the European Commission in London.
The European Commission briefed on LIFE+ rules, the co-operation with the European Commission. The economic, technical reports to be submitted as well as dissemination and communication of the projects results.
All projects were presented; 13 projects in Environmental Policy and Governance, two projects in Information and Communication, as well as 10 projects in Nature and Biodiversity.
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Noisun at Energy evening in Lerum
November 6th 2012 ”Villaägarna i Lerum” invited to an Energy evening about renewable electricity, photovoltaics, thermal storage and solar collctors as noise barriers.
The Noisun project was presented to some 30 interested people.
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Noisun at ”Bo och Energi” event
Noisun was presented at the climate event Bo & Energi, in Lerum September 13 – 16 2012.
The event was attended by approximately 2,000 visitors and showed climate-smart solutions necessary in a good living.
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Analysis of energy storage and interaction between solar facility and district heating plant
On September 10th, 2012 parts of the project met, to find solutions concerning how the energy from the solar collector facility can be stored and how the solar collector facility and the district heating system can work together.
There are many indications to choose Lerum as the location for the plant because:
- There is an accumulator tank, which increases the ability to receive and store the heat of the day.
- Many people are exposed to high noise levels from both the E20 and the Western Main Line
- The plant can be made larger than in the other sites
- The demonstration plant is well-exposed
The biggest challenge is to manage the instantaneous power to the district heating network when district heating boiler does not need to produce as much energy, e.g. a Sunday afternoon during the summer.
It is technically inappropriate to transport heat through the return line to the existing storage tank, as this increases the return temperature. Higher return temperatures, lowers the efficiency of the heating plant when the effect of the smoke gas condenser decreases with higher return temperatures. This means that, the energy gained from the sun will be lost through poor utilization in the existing heating plant.
One solution would be to produce hot water at about 60°C and connect to the district heating accumulator tank via a separate culvert. Another solution is to produce hot water at about 75°C and connect to the district heating network flow line (that goes out to households).
Calculations conducted by SP shows that, from an energy perspective it’s better to connect the facility to the district heating network flow line, because of heat losses during transport in a separate line to the accumulator tank. The option to take separate culvert is also considerably more expensive.
The conclusion from the above is that we will focus on a solution where the solar collector facility is connected to the district heating network flow line.
for the project
Henrik Bengtsson
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Suitable sites for the facility
The project management group met on August 31 2012.
Three possible sites has been identified for the facility, two of them located in Floda and the third in Lerum.
The most interesting site is Lerum for several reasons, many people live there, there’s good ground conditions, access to an ackumulator tank and many people passing the site.
To finally determine the location for the facility, conceptual calculations of the noise situation will be performed to determine the height and length of the noise barrier. Thereafter, general calculations of angles of the solar collectors will be made to determine the annual energy yield for the different locations.
Safety aspects will also be investigated, such as proximity to high voltage installations, pressure waves from passing trains, wind and snow loads etc.
In the area finally selected, a survey on the perceived noise will be sent out to the residents in the area, while noise measurements are made.
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NOISUN Kick-off
Project participants gathered on 16 August 2012 for a kick-off for the project.
A brilliant idea from Bjorn Leuchovius in 2009 has taken shape through a lot of work by the project partners; the Municipality of Lerum, SP Technical Research Institute, Lerum Fjärrvärme AB and the Swedish Transport Administration.
The work begins NOW, with the realization of the idea from words to action.
The project’s components and organization of the project was presented and the preliminary location of the facility visited.
We are now oporational and the next step is to make an analysis of a few different places and finally choose the most suitable location.
Once the location is selected, the capacity for and prospects of storing heat and the district heating plant to accept energy from the solar collector facility will be analyzed. The existing noise levels in the area will also be examined, and the residents will be asked how they feel about the noise situation.
Continued …
Henrik Bengtsson
Project
Lerum Municipality
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Press Release 2012-07-31
The municipality of Lerum will in a unique and innovative investment build a 400 meters noise barrier with sun energy production
– This has never been done before. In this way, we will solve a problem, noise, and at the same time get a benefit, to produce heat, says Henrik Bengtsson, project manager in the Municipality of Lerum.
It is the Municipality of Lerum together with Lerum Fjärrvärme AB, the Swedish Transport Administration and SP Technical Research Institute, implementing the project. The cost is estimated at SEK 14 million.
Now, the parties will determine where in the municipality, along the railroad, the noise barrier should be set up. In the area, the number of properties and people exposed to noise levels above the guideline value of 55 dB, will be reduced by 60-90 per cent.
The project, which goes by the name Noisun, is part of the EU’s environmental program LIFE +. The European Commission contributes to SEK five million. The noise barrier in Lerum will be a demonstration plant for the entire EU. It is hoped that it will attract visitors from all over the world.
– We will share the knowledge we have and the experience we get of combining noise barriers with solar energy production. At this stage we don’t have the result, says Henrik Bengtsson.
As major thoroughfares for both road traffic and rail traffic devide the municipality the area is exposed to noise. An environmental problem shared with with large parts of Europe. Although noise is not regarded as life threatening in the same way as many other environmental factors, it is of increasing importance to people’s health and quality of life. At the same time, Europe has to save energy and invest more in renewable energy sources.
– It feels good to Lerum’s pioneers through this unique initiative. Hopefully it will be an important step in the further development of this technology. The initiative is a further step towards our vision to be the leading environmental municipality in 2025, says chairman of the city council Anna-Lena Holberg.
If everything goes according to plan the noise barriers are ready to produce energy at the end of next year.
Follow the project on http://www.noisun.se or http://www.noisun.eu.
Noisun 