Projects

Our team is actively involved in research and scientific projects related to the improvement of processes in the field of emissions, biofuels and climate change including statistical area.

Ongoing projects:

SUPPORT GRANT SCHEME OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION LIFE:

PROJECT LIFE IP - IMPROVEMENT OF AIR QUALITY (LIFE18 IPE/SK/000010) is supported by the European Union within the LIFE program and co-financed from the state budget of the Slovak Republic through the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic

Project LIFE IP – Air quality improvement (full form: Improving the implementation of air quality improvement programs in Slovakia by strengthening the capacities and competencies of regional and local authorities and supporting air quality measures) focuses on the implementation of specific measures to improve air quality and also supports educational, communication and monitoring. Project includes partners in the field of air quality and air protection and brings effective management by creating a national network of air quality managers. A team of experts from the Department of Emissions and Biofuels within the project Part D.: Monitoring the impact of project measures, prepares regional balances of emissions from household heating, small sources and transport and monitors their long-term trend within individual regional and time distributions.

As of 12/31/2023, OEaB experts have prepared a report that describes the structured distribution of small sources of pollution (available only in Slovak language). The main task of the analysis presented in this annual report was to obtain information on the regional distribution of boiler types in Slovakia. In addition, precise estimates of the consumption of solid fuels at the regional level, especially biomass (firewood), were developed. The input data were obtained on the basis of an extensive statistical survey carried out in 2022 in cooperation with the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. The statistical sample was chosen in order to streamline the results and thus allow for a more even distribution of small combustion sources at the regional level. The results presented in this report will serve to identify and select regions where modernization of boilers is needed and will help direct the decision-making process of allocating funds in the form of subsidies.

More information on site: https://www.populair.sk/sk

  • IMPLEMENTATION DATE – 2020
  • FULFILLMENT DATE – 2020-2027

 

Finalized projects:

OPERATIONAL PROGRAM QUALITY OF ENVIRONMENT:

PROJECT EMISSIONS – Preparation of methodology and improvement of emission inventories and emission projections

The project was dedicated to the preparation of new methodologies and calculation manuals for the preparation of emission inventories and projections of greenhouse gas emissions in order to ensure the harmonization of the National System for Emissions and Projections with international rules and decisions of the Executive Bodies of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and in accordance with the new ETF (Enhance Transparency Framework) agreed upon at the 21st Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris in 2015. The binding, signed outcome of the conference, which was subsequently ratified by the Slovak Republic, is known as the Paris Agreement.

The project also integrates emissions and projections and harmonised methodological procedures for individual economic sectors and emission categories. For this purpose, MESAP software and new computing techniques were put into operation. The MESAP system is used at the Department of Emissions and Biofuels to convert the inputs required for emissions and projections into the necessary and prescribed forms (units). It defines and stores calculations as database objects. In addition to emission calculations, the system also calculates their uncertainties. After setting the control level, the system performs automatic QA/QC checks. MESAP also has the function of an archiving environment. The system archives all inputs (even non-numerical ones) and logically connects them as needed (EF resources, literature, etc.).

Based on available data, MESAP processed data from the following sectors:

  • Energy - combustion of fuels,
  • Transport and fugitive emissions,
  • Industrial processes and product use,
  • Agriculture,
  • Land use, changes in land use and forestry,
  • Waste Management.

Sector experts from the National Inventory System and expert institutions of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic and the Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology of the Slovak technical University in Bratislava, also participated in the project.

The project was successfully implemented, handed over and completed without corrections or findings from the implementing agency.

  • DURATION – February 2 – November 30 2023
  • FINALISATION – December 31 2023

 

EUROSTAT GRANT SCHEME:

Improvement of emissions allocation from transport in the environmental air emissions accounts and the compliacne of THE AEA and PEFA modules under regulation no. 691/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council on european environmental economic accounts

The grant project, internally designated as EUROSTAT III, has the task of preparing a methodology for emissions allocation from road transport according to NACE rev.2 categorization to AEA accounts and preparing a methodology for road transport fuels allocation according to NACE rev.2 categorization to PEFA accounts. The project is implemented as a continuation of the EUROSTAT I and EUROSTAT II projects in cooperation with the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic and has the task of improving the reporting of road transport data. 

  • SIGNED – 2020
  • FULFILLMENT DATE – 2021-2022

 

Improving the quality of air emissions accounts and extending the time series provided

The grant project, internally called EUROSTAT II, was realized in years 2017 and 2018 in cooperation with Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. Air Emission Accounts (AEA) under Regulation (EU) 691/2011 on European Environmental Economic Accounts are one of the environmental statistics, which should be used to develop effective measures and policies to improve air quality. Air emission accounts are devoted to the identification of emission load of individual sectors of the national economy according to the European Classification of Economic Activities (NACE Rev.2). In national conditions, the household sector represents a serious problem in connection with the fulfilment of reduction obligations of the Slovak Republic and insufficient air quality. High emission loads are mainly caused by households heating with solid fuels, which produce solid pollutants (PM) and their fractions (PM10 particles, PM2,5 particles and BC – black carbon/soot).

Project was focused on two main fields. The first field represents a significant improvement in the quality of household data. This project supported activities to improve the quality of the output balance of fuels and emissions from heating households with solid fuels (especially wood) and to develop a methodology for determining a total fuel consumption for the sector, preceded by a pilot specific statistical collection of important missing data in cooperation with the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic during the summer of 2017. The second field of the project was the creation of a methodology for the reconstruction of historical data and time series of emissions for AEA. 

Based on the project, a statistical survey was conducted in 2019 aimed at obtaining better quality data on households.

 

Methodology and tools for the preparation of environmental accounts – air emissions in the Slovak Republic

The grant project was approved, because the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute was included in the list of EUROSTAT statistical authorities for providing information in international statistics on greenhouse gasses emissions and air pollutants.  Subsequently, it became competently responsible institution for implementation and enforcement of Regulation of European Parliament and Council of the European Union 691/2011 on European Environmental economic accounts, which are one of the environmental statistics. The Regulation entered into force on 15 September 2013. The first report on air emission accounts under this regulation was successfully implemented under a grant project, internally called EUROSTAT I, on 15 September 2013.

The EUROSTAT I project was focused on revising the methodology for reporting environmental accounts, specifically in the emission account. The purpose of the project was to prepare a converter of until then used classification of economic activities into the new code list used in statistics under the abbreviation NACE rev.2.

 

GRANT SCHEME OF THE SLOVAK AGENCY FOR DEVELOPMENT AID OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC:

Capacity building for climate change mitigation and adaptation activities in the republic of Kenya

The objective of the project was to determine priority needs for capacity development in Kenya in order to meet its commitments under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The overall goals of the project was to evaluate the availability of professional, financial and institutional capacities in Kenya and to propose responsibilities for their coordination at the national level. It should be based on existing knowledge from available studies, reports and projects on climate change in this African country. 

The output of the project is an inventory of current capacities and proposals to improve the capacity of the monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) system of the impact of policies and measures and the system for preparing national climate change reports in the areas of greenhouse gas emissions inventory and identification of adaptation measures in accordance with the reporting structure.

One of the main goals of the project was to prepare a technical report in which the research teams focused on the most vulnerable sectors in the country, especially agriculture, forestry and water management. This document is intended to provide a basis for identifying the capacity needed to produce Kenya's national climate change report under the Convention on Climate Change.

 

UNDP - GEF SUPPORT SCHEME:

Sustainable transport in Bratislava

The Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute coordinated within the project activities related to the monitoring of CO2 emissions by individual components per time unit at the start of the project (2010) during the project (2011-2013) and after its implementation (2014). On an ongoing basis were prepared Performance reports, as well as a methodology for assessing emissions from road transport in the city of Bratislava. As the main purpose of the project was the sustainability of activities even after its completion, at the meeting of the Steering Committee held on 21 May 2014, the members of the Steering Committee were recommended to start negotiations on future cooperation between SHMÚ and the city in providing and processing information on emissions from transport. Processed was a calculator of emissions per car, urban public transport and other forms of transport for one person within the city of Bratislava, the number of daily cars arriving in Bratislava was statistically validated and improvements were proposed to save greenhouse gas emissions.