Similarly to previous years, Pannon Hőerőmű Zrt., part of the Veolia Hungary Group, has begun the energy utilization of discarded Christmas trees. With the cooperation of Dél-Kom Nonprofit Kft., the discarded fir trees become a renewable energy source for heating city apartments and institutions.
We have found a sustainable solution by converting the Christmas trees placed out by the residents of Pécs into valuable fuel. Dél-Kom Nonprofit Kft. has recently started collecting and delivering the trees to the biomass power plant in Pécs. The process is expected to last about a month, during which tens of thousands of trees will get a second life in the circular economy.
The initiative aligns closely with Veolia's GreenUp strategy, which aims to make the group a key player in ecological transformation by accelerating decarbonization, depollution, and resource regeneration. In line with this strategy, Pannon Hőerőmű Zrt. does not only seek to replace fossil fuels but also strives to convert biomass generated in the region—such as Christmas trees—into useful energy. This solution relieves pressure on landfills while providing sustainable and affordable district heating for the families living in Pécs.
Pannon Hőerőmű Zrt. currently supplies district heating to more than 31,700 homes and nearly 490 other consumers. The collected fir trees are shredded at the plant and mixed with other fuels (such as agricultural by-products), then fed into a boiler to generate electricity and heat.
To ensure efficient recycling, we kindly ask residents to remove all foreign materials (decorations, light strings, and stands) from the trees before placing them at the collection points, as only clean wood is suitable for utilization in the power plant.