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Losehill Hall goes greener
or "Chips with everything"
Work is currently under way to install a biomass boiler system at Losehill Hall, the Peak National Park Study Centre. Using wood-chips as a fuel source the new system will contribute to an approximately 50% reduction in the Centre’s carbon dioxide emissions.
How did it all start?
The project arose from an initial scoping report and subsequent detailed feasibility
study carried out by Energy for Sustainable Development (ESD Ltd) from Wiltshire.
The scoping report identified and briefly evaluated the range of options for
the use of renewable energy technologies at Losehill Hall. It became evident
that the most appropriate technology for the Centre would be a biomass system
using wood chip as fuel. The detailed feasibility study focused on biomass and
was supported by a grant from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Clear
Skies Programme.
Using a set of essential criteria, the feasibility study examined and compared five options ranging from 100% of the heating demand being met from biomass as wood chips or wood pellets to 100% gas. A key issue was fuel supply. The study identified potential wood chip suppliers within a 45 mile radius of the Centre. In order to maximize the carbon dioxide savings fuel should come from within a 10 mile radius. At the time there were no known suppliers that close to Losehill Hall. In addition to fuel supply other factors including system reliability, back up heating systems and installation and running costs were considered. Based on a risk assessment of all known factors, it was decided that the project should progress to install a boiler that would meet around half the heating demand with gas boilers providing extra input at times of peak demand and also serving as a back up system.
Support to local area – education
- interpretation
An important aspect of this project is that we hope to contribute to the development
of the biomass infrastructure in the local area. Work on the project also coincided
with the publication of the National Park Authority’s Supplementary Planning
Guidance for Renewable Energy in the National Park. In relation to this a further
important aspect of the project are the education and interpretation opportunities.
We will promote the existence of the system alongside some small demonstration
projects for renewable energy technologies to the 10,000 or so people visiting
Losehill Hall each year. A remote monitoring system displayed in a public area
will enable us to illustrate the boiler operating in real time, and demonstrate
CO2 savings. All of this work is linked to the Centre having been awarded Eco-Centre
status in 2003 following an audit by the charity Environmental Campaigns (ENCAMS
Ltd). The renewable energy technologies will be part of the site interpretation
plan to demonstrate sustainability in action.
No shoveling of the wood-chips!
The biomass boiler is being supplied and installed by Wood Energy Ltd (Devon).
It is a 50 kilowatt fully automatic boiler. That means none of us will have
to shovel wood chips! The fuel is fed to the boiler from the fuel store via
an auger. The boiler house and wood store are located in the grounds of the
Centre and the hot water is pumped underground to the main building through
a super-insulated pipe. This arrangement is ideal for the site because of height
restrictions in the existing gas boiler room in the basement and issues relating
to the fact that this is a Grade II Listed Building. It is also ideal for easy
access to the fuel store for deliveries as we have been able to take advantage
of a natural gradient to get the fuel store sunk into the ground.
Since the inception of the project we have identified a potential supplier within 10 miles of Losehill Hall and are currently working up a specification for the fuel (size of chip, moisture content, material density and ash content). It is likely that we will develop a contract for energy supply rather than tonnage of chips as this ensures that the supplier will provide fuel to the highest specification.
The overall budget for supply and installation of the system is £49,000. Again, the DTI Clear Skies programme is providing a grant (50%) with additional support from the Sustainable Development Fund administered by the National Park Authority (25%) and our own contribution (25%).
For more information contact Richard Campen at Losehill Hall on 01433 620373.