The new academy building for 1150 students, due to open in June 2011, is combining ground source heat pumps, which harness solar energy absorbed by the earth, with solar thermal technology to maximise renewable energy efficiency.

By working in tandem, these renewable technologies will supply heating and hot water to the academy, together with passive underfloor cooling in the summer months. This is projected to reduce the academy’s carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from its heating system by up to 40%.

Both technologies are being supplied and installed by ENER-G (www.energ.co.uk) as part of the sustainable design brief set by Carillion, who are main contractor on the project. Architect is Jestico + Whiles, with mechanical services provided by Halsion, who have commissioned the renewable energy contract.

The specialist science and arts academy is situated on the site of the former Axton Chase School in Longfield, Kent. It is expected to achieve a minimum ‘Very Good’ rating under BREEAM for schools, due to its use of renewable power sources, and extensive use of insulation to secure a thermal performance 15% beyond current standards.

ENER-G has installed 35 boreholes and is completing work on the plant room, to accommodate four ground source heat pumps with a combined capacity of 200kW. The company is installing a total of 22 solar thermal tubes, covering 44 sq metres of the academy’s flat roof.

“By combining these two technologies, the academy will dramatically increase its energy efficiency”, said Lee Marshall, Project Director for ENER-G Sustainable Technologies. “In the summer and spring months, any surplus solar energy not required for hot water will be diverted to the ground loop, where it can be stored to recharge the ground with heat during the colder winter months, thereby increasing the efficiency of the heat pumps”.

“The fusion of these two renewable technologies is used widely in countries such as the Germany, but is not so well developed in the UK, and Longfield will help to lead the way”, added Lee Marshall. “The education sector is, however, very active in using ground source heat pumps as a low cost, low carbon reliable source of renewable energy.”

“The move to the new building will begin a new exciting phase in our development towards an environmentally sustainable educational community. The new renewable technologies will complement the improvements students and staff have led that have enabled us to achieve the Eco School Green Flag status”, said Neil Willis, Principal at Longfield Academy.

By exploiting the relatively stable temperatures found under the earth’s surface, ground source heat pump systems are able to deliver heating and cooling at very high efficiencies. A heat exchanger, comprising a network of polyethylene pipes, is buried under the ground to provide a means of transferring energy to or from the earth via a heat pump.

Heat pumps supply more energy than they consume by using a refrigeration cycle to absorb heat from the environment and raise it to a suitable level for heating buildings or providing hot water. The process can also operate in a reverse cycle to provide cooling.

The government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) will guarantee subsidy payments over 20 years and dramatically reduce the payback period for organisations that install ground source heat pump and solar thermal technologies.

The 150kW CHP unit is part of an environmental management programme at the factory. Since full commissioning of the CHP system in June 2010 it has achieved carbon savings of 476 tonnes equivalent to the environmental benefit of 47,600 trees.

Adams Foods, which was formed when The Kerrygold Company merged with North Downs Dairy in October 2010, is the UK’s leading pre-packed cheese business, with 30% share of the UK retail market. The business is also world famous for its Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter, sold in 60 countries globally, and marketed and distributed in the UK from the Staffordshire site.

The state-of-the-art factory and office complex, in Leek, Staffordshire, was designed to be the most efficient and environmentally friendly cheese packing facility in Europe. Occupying 15,500m2, the new facility employs 550 people and operates 24 hours a day.

The ENER-G CHP system generates 150kW of electricity and provides 225kW of heat to pre-heat water for washing and cleaning.

CHP technology converts gas into both electricity and heat in a single process at the point of use. The technology works by generating electricity on-site and recovering the majority of the heat created in the process. Its high efficiency contrasts with conventional power stations where heat is lost into the atmosphere through power station cooling towers, and further losses occur when transmitting the electricity along many miles of electrical distribution cables to customers.

By using a CHP to generate electricity the Leek site can use the heat generated for its hot water requirements, while creating substantial carbon savings.

The CHP unit was acquired using ENER-G’s capital purchase scheme and features an ENER-G Premier maintenance contract that includes all services and call outs.

Adams Foods has also implemented a number of other energy saving techniques at its Leek facility to reduce costs and lower carbon emissions. These include sun pipes, passive infra red (PIR) lighting controls, photovoltaic cells, and free cooling to the production hall using roof mounted air fans and inverter driven motors on pumps and fans.

The ENER-G Group is a leading distributed power generation and energy management company and its UK manufactured CHP systems reduce carbon emissions by around 20% while cutting electricity costs by approximately one third. They are used by the British Royal family at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, as well as in hospitals, hotels, leisure centres, supermarkets, factories and other buildings worldwide. They can be powered by natural gas, diesel, biodiesel, propane, biofuels or biogases.

ENER-G helped pioneer CHP technology more than 25 years ago. Its advanced technologies assist organisations across the world in reducing their collective carbon emissions by five million tonnes each year.

Today, ENER-G is Europe’s leading supplier of cogeneration systems from 4kW to 10MW. The company delivers whole life cycle cogeneration projects – from initial design to long term care of the installation. The company’s solid financial status and independence provides the freedom to finance capital projects. The company pioneered the Discount Energy Purchase scheme, which means it installs, operates and finances the cogeneration installation without capital outlay and sells the energy at a discounted rate.

ENER-G’s Quality Management System provides international best practice in design, manufacture and service. Customers are offered a flexible aftercare solution, including a variety of service packages to meet precise requirements. CHP on-board computer systems provide a two-way communication channel to the company’s 24/7 remote monitoring centre. This means that engineers can diagnose and resolve issues before they become problems – providing proactive, predictive maintenance that enables customers to minimise downtime and prolong system life.

Tangerine is installing energy efficient combined heat and power (CHP) systems at its Pontefract production site in West Yorkshire – where famous brands such as Wilkinson’s Pontefract cakes and Butterkist Popcorn are made.

Each year, Tangerine will achieve cost savings of almost £200,000 and save 630 tonnes of carbon, equivalent to the environmental benefit of 63,000 trees.

The two-phase contract  involved the installation of an ENER-G 500kWe cogeneration unit in September 2010, followed by a 230kWe trigeneration system to be commissioned in February 2011. The smaller unit will provide electricity, heating and cooling to supply a second production facility.

Tangerine has utilised ENER-G’s discount energy purchase scheme which entails no capital outlay for the business. The contract is structured to deliver low-cost, low-carbon energy onsite thus reducing the facility’s carbon footprint whilst improving profitability.

UK-based ENER-G is also working with Tangerine to develop CHP solutions on a number of other sites. A multi-site roll-out will facilitate a significant carbon reduction which is increasingly important given the advent of the government’s Energy Efficiency Carbon Reduction Commitment scheme.

Tangerine is the largest independent sugar confectionery manufacturer in the UK, owner of brands such as Barratt, Lion, Mojo, Wilkinson’s and Butterkist. Its seven UK production sites employ approximately 1500 people and in three years, turnover has increased from £40 million to £150 million.

Its factory in Ferrybridge Road, Pontefract, comprises two production units – one manufacturing liquorice, gums and nougat – and the other making popcorn, chocolate and sugar panned products.

Combined heat and power (CHP) – the simultaneous generation of electricity and useful heat – is almost twice as efficient as conventional power generation as the majority of heat is recovered and used on site, rather than wasted into the atmosphere. There is also less transmission loss by avoiding the transportation of electricity along many miles of electrical distribution cables. The Typical pay back period on CHP technology varies between two to four years.

Peter Sanders, Operations Director for Tangerine, said: “We are continually seeking ways to raise our environmental performance and this move to on-site generation of power is a key element of our carbon-cutting strategy. We are very pleased to be partnering with ENER-G which is able to provide us with a total service – from initial design to long term care of the systems. This has required no capital investment by the company as the technology is being supplied by ENER-G in return for us purchasing the generated electricity at a very favourable rate.”

Anthony Mayall, Sales Director for ENER-G Combined Power Limited, commented: “The challenge of this project was to design a high quality system before the contract was placed, which involved working with the client to understand activity on site, shifts in energy demand patterns and future trends. This is the key to a successful project that will deliver substantial carbon and cost saving, with no capital outlay from the client.”

He continued: “We offer customers a flexible aftercare solution, including a variety of service packages to meet precise requirements. Our CHP on-board computer systems provide a two-way communication channel to the ENER-G 24/7 remote monitoring centre. Such intelligence means we can diagnose and resolve issues before they become problems – providing proactive, predictive maintenance that enables customers to minimise downtime and prolong system life.”

ENER-G delivers small-scale 4kW to 10MW CHP solutions to customers around the world and it offers the broadest product range on the market, incorporating more than 1,400 installed cogeneration systems across the globe – powered by natural gas, biogas, diesel, biogas, propane or biodiesel.

Its UK-designed and manufactured systems are used in hospitals, hotels, leisure centres, supermarkets and factories worldwide, and among its high-profile customers is the British Royal family at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.

In the range up to 2MWe capacity; units can be delivered and packaged as a single unit with the controls, heat recovery units and engine within neat, compact, acoustically insulated enclosures suitable for either internal of external installation. Above 1MWe, each one of ENER-G’s cogeneration units are bespoke, with the engine and system carefully designed to meet each specific application.

The £2m building, scheduled to open in December 2010, is under construction on an adjacent site to ENER-G House in Daniel Adamson Road, Salford.

It will enable ENER-G to keep pace with worldwide demand for its renewable and energy efficient technologies. The group’s worldwide turnover last financial year was £125m, 47% of which was generated by export sales.

The new development will bring office capacity at the site to 24,000 sq ft releasing space at ENER-G House and at a second building in neighbouring Diamond Court, to expand manufacturing operations.

This will increase manufacturing space from 34,000 sq ft to more than 42,000 sq ft. The extra space will be used to produce a new energy efficient management control system, developed by ENER-G’s in-house new products development team.

The expansion will involve the transfer of 125 staff from the group’s ENER-G Procurement and ENER-G Efficiency divisions from leased premises at St James’s House in nearby Pendleton. Staff from the company’s renewables division are also relocating from temporary offices located in Diamond Court.

Over the past two years the company has added more manufacturing space to boost production of its combined heat and power (CHP) and biogas generator units by 50% – to meet orders from across the globe.

ENER-G is a leading energy business in the UK and Europe and develops, manufactures, delivers and finances energy efficient and renewable solutions. In addition to CHP units and biogas systems, these include geothermal energy, heat pumps, efficient lighting, controls, metering, billing and data solutions, and new generation energy from waste. They are accompanied by a wide range of energy and water consultancy and energy procurement services.

Derek Duffill, group managing director, said: “Our innovative products and services are in demand across the globe – fuelling powerful growth which is reflected in a rapid rise in turnover and the need to expand our main site in Salford.

“We employ more than 760 people worldwide in and have operating companies and joint ventures in 17 countries, including the UK, Hungary, the Netherlands, Romania, Lithuania, Italy, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Mexico and Spain, with partners in Canada, Ireland, Portugal, Iran and Slovenia”.

St John’s College, Oxford, and the new Ynysowen Community Primary School in South Wales, will reap major financial and environmental benefits from ground source heat pump technology from ENER-G.

The 280-pupil school, near Aberfan, and 500-student College are among a growing number of educational establishments using ground source heat pumps to harness solar energy absorbed by the earth as a cheap and reliable source of renewable energy.

By exploiting the relatively stable temperatures found under the earth’s surface, ground source heat pump systems are able to deliver heating and cooling at very high efficiencies.
A heat exchanger, comprising a network of polyethylene pipes, is buried under the ground to provide a means of transferring energy to or from the earth via a heat pump.

ENER-G’S heat pumps are available in a wide variety of styles and deliver heating or cooling to the building by various water or air distribution systems, including under floor heating, radiators, fan coils and ducted air systems.

The ground source system, due to become operational at the 500-student St John’s College this summer, is being installed in the new Kendrew Quadrangle development. It involves 48 boreholes and heat pumps with combined capacities of 146kW for heating and 115kW for cooling, installed under a contract with Oxfordshire-based building contractor Kingerlee Ltd.

It is projected to achieve carbon savings of approximately 17 tonnes per annum, equivalent to the environmental benefit of 1700 trees.

Ynsowen’s ground source heating system involves 14 boreholes and a total heat pump capacity of 74kW installed under a contract with Llanelli-based building services company FP Hurley & Sons. Projected annual carbon savings of four tonnes are anticipated, which would equate to the environmental benefit of 400 trees.

The new school was designed by architects and landscape architects White Design and built by construction company Morgan Ashurst, with mechanical services installed by the Newport branch of FP Hurley. The school, which opened in April 2010, covers 2,000m² and comprises 14 classrooms, an IT suite, library and assembly hall.

ENER-G’s tried-and-tested systems are cost-effective – in both the short and long term – and its durable ground loops have a life-span of some 50 years.

The proposed new renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme increases the financial attraction of heat pump technology to many different organisations. It would guarantee significant subsidy payments and dramatically reduce the payback period for all organisations that install ground source heat pump technology.

Under the RHI, a 200kW ENER-G ground source heat pump operating eight hours a day would create an annual incentive of approximately £18,000.

Similarly, ENER-G estimates that a 200kW air source pump, operating over a similar period in a comparable sized educational or commercial building, would lead to a financial gain of around £7,000 per year.

Other schools already benefiting from ENER-G’s geothermal technology include Galston Primary School in East Ayrshire, Redhill Primary School in Worcestershire, and Ashfield Skills Centre at Ashfield School in Nottinghamshire.

Heat pumps supply more energy than they consume by using a refrigeration cycle to absorb heat from the environment and raise it to a suitable level for heating buildings or providing hot water. The process can operate in a reverse cycle to provide cooling for buildings as well. Heat pump technologies can provide a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to traditional technologies.

ENER-G Sustainable Technologies has won official certification for its expertise in renewable heat pump technology. The Approved Contractor certificate recognises the quality of ENER-G’s design, supply, and installation heat pumps, in line with exacting technical standards set out by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). ENER-G Sustainable Technologies is also a member of the UK Ground Source Heat Pump Association.

Through its exclusive partnership with four leading manufacturers, ENER-G provides one of the widest selection of ground source, gas absorption, air source and water loop heat pump technologies in the UK, ranging in capacity from 1kW to 1000kW.

The agreement involves Vega 1 joining ENER-G’s Cogen Partners network which delivers small-scale 4kW to 10MW combined heat and power (CHP) solutions to customers around the world. It extends the operation of ENER-G’s Eastern European businesses based in Hungary, Poland, Romania and Lithuania.

The deal gives Vega 1 access to the full range of ENER-G’s UK designed and manufactured CHP systems and next generation Micro CHP systems. This is the broadest product range on the market, incorporating more than 1,400 installed cogeneration systems across the globe – powered by natural gas, biogas, diesel, biogas, propane or biodiesel.

Combined heat and power – the simultaneous generation of electricity and useful heat – is almost twice as efficient as conventional power generation, where the heat is not recovered and is lost into the atmosphere. In addition, much energy is also lost along the many miles of electrical distribution cables needed to bring the power to site.

Cogeneration technology is not yet widely known in Latvia so the partnership deal with Vega 1 represents a powerful growth opportunity in a fresh geographic market. Typical pay back of cogeneration system varies between two to four years, therefore providing significant cost savings compared with conventional heating.

Vega 1’s engineers are responsible for local sales, installation, operation, service and maintenance, but they benefit from full technical support from ENER-G’s expert engineering team. In addition CHP units are linked via the Gkontrol remote monitoring system, providing 24/7 online support to partners.

Founded in 1999, Vega 1 is one of the leading Latvian mechanical and electrical installation companies whose operations include design, installation, service and maintenance of refrigeration, ventilation and air conditioning systems, as well as internal and external water, sewage and heating equipment, high, medium and low voltage electrical networks and gas connections. The company has also been involved in several biogas electricity plant projects. Vega 1 and its sister companies’ turnover exceeds 10 million euros and the business employs more than 80 staff.

“Our agreement with Vega 1 underlines our commitment to expand our offerings throughout the world,” said Alan Barlow, managing director of ENER-G Combined Power Ltd. “By working with Vega 1, which has a proven track record of professionalism and technical expertise, we are ensuring that our commitment to high levels of quality and customer care are upheld.”

“ENER-G has more than 25 years experience of delivering whole life-cycle cogeneration projects, including innovative capital-free finance options. Our combination of in-house technology, expertise and services, means we are a single port of call for any business seeking proven cogeneration performance.”

Uldis Hmielevskis, Head of VEGA 1 Energy Department, added: “We believe our partnership agreement with ENER-G will allow both companies to benefit from the enormous market potential for cogeneration technology in Latvia. We relish the prospect of working alongside ENER-G to develop productive relationships with customers and technical innovations.”

Cogen Partners are independent companies that work with ENER-G to provide customers with quality cogeneration solutions, backed up by ENER-G Combined Power’s long experience in the industry.

“Like all our Cogen Partners, Vega 1 has been carefully chosen. We were extremely impressed by the technical skills and customer-focused approach of its people,” added Alan Barlow. “The business has demonstrated its ability to successfully deliver cogeneration solutions as well as broad experience of offering other energy-efficient technologies.”

Teams from 11 schools across Greater Manchester became mini-manufacturing businesses for the day. Their challenge was to design, manufacture and install eco-friendly power generation and efficiency solutions for a choice of customers that varied from supermarkets and hospitals to gyms and factories. They then pitched their ideas to a panel of senior manager ‘dragons’ from clean tech business ENER-G, based in Salford, Greater Manchester.

The free event was part of The Manufacturing Institute’s Make It in Manufacturing campaign (www.makeit.org.uk) to attract talented young people into industry, an initiative that is being expanded this year thanks to support from the Northwest Regional Development Agency and European Regional Development Fund.

The 13 and 14 year-olds were challenged to build imaginative 3D floor plans of an eco-friendly power system for their chosen building. After selecting their job roles – including managing director, operations, finance, logistics, sales and marketing managers – they costed-out their ideas, developed energy performance indicator systems, and created sales and marketing plans. They then appeared before the ENER-G team of ‘dragons’ to present their ideas.

The winning team from Sale Grammar School formed the ‘Green Logic’ business – providing energy solutions for schools. Their mission to build ‘a better future for the next generation’ was achieved by using a combination of technologies including solar panels, motion sensors for lights, ground source heat pumps and recycled rain water. The team invented an imaginative energy performance indicator system – using a traffic light system in every classroom to warn pupils when too much energy was being consumed and remind them to switch power off when not in use.

The dragons praised team members for their ideas and felt that they engaged with one of the biggest challenges in energy efficiency which is getting people to change their behaviours and be more aware of energy wastage.

Physical Energy Plus was the name of second placed team from Buile Hill School, Salford. They developed an eco-gym – powered primarily by its users. They linked running machines and exercise bikes to a turbine to promote ‘pedal power’, and made use of a low carbon ENER-G combined heat and power system to generate heat for the spa and pool, and electricity. Judges were especially impressed with the team’s financial skills and their ability to generate sponsorship funding and achieve a return on investment after four years.

Nicola Eagleton-Crowther, Campaign Manager for Make it at The Manufacturing Institute said: “The young people got a real taste of what it’s like to work in industry. It was a very lively, energetic and creative environment and they really got to grips with the brief and were full of fantastic ideas. All the teams came up with some brilliant designs and marketing campaigns and we were delighted by their enthusiasm and performance.

“We got very positive feedback from the students and teachers on the day and this was reflected in the shift in perceptions about working in industry. 90% of school pupils felt the event had given them a better understanding of the manufacturing industry, while more than two thirds said they would consider a career in the sector.”

Chris Marsland, Technical Director of ENER-G said: “The Make It event was a great success and the school pupils’ grasp of eco-friendly power and environmental considerations demonstrated that these young adults are certainly aware of the necessity of being responsible towards the environment. To see them working together in their teams and producing such credible proposals I am sure would make the real Dragons’ Den panel blush with pride.

“ENER-G is proud to support and encourage this interest in both manufacturing and the environment, as these youngsters are the business leaders of tomorrow and hi tech businesses such as ours require talented people with both technical and enterprising skills. If young people don’t receive the encouragement and guidance now, the future of not only the economy but also the environment will suffer.”

This was the first of a series of North West heats, with the top team from each heat invited to compete in a grand regional final in 2011.

Shaftesbury-based BV Dairy is projected to reduce its CO₂ emissions by approximately 1,200 tonnes per year, which would equate to the environmental benefit of planting 120,000 trees. Going green should also help the dairy save an estimated £150,000 per year.

When the AD system becomes fully operational in August 2010, BV Dairy expects to generate more than 75% of the site’s electricity consumption.

The high-rate liquid digester has been designed and built by Clearfleau (www.clearfleau.com). ENER·G is designing, supplying and operating the combined heat and power (CHP) technology that will convert biogas into renewable energy.

Clearfleau’s high rate anaerobic systems are used for the on-site treatment of liquid waste. Anaerobic digestion is a well established biological process where micro-organisms that thrive in an oxygen-free environment convert volatile solids into biogas. Clearfleau’s digestion systems operate with reduced liquid retention time on a confined footprint.

The 190kWe CHP system will be capable of generating 1,539 MWh of electricity and 1,685 MWh of heat per annum from effluent, dramatically reducing the dairy’s reliance on fossil fuels.

Established in 1958, BV Dairy currently processes around 35 million litres of milk per year, sourced from 35 farms located near its site. The product range includes fresh and cultured dairy products for sale to the UK’s food manufacturers and food service operators.

The AD system involves waste liquids from the dairy being converted into biogas, which will then be used to generate electricity and heat using ENER·G’s CHP technology. The majority of electricity will power existing dairy operations, with the remainder sold into the National Grid. Surplus heat will be used in the production process. In addition, small amounts of de-watered digestate will be produced which will be used as a soil conditioner and fertiliser, and will be compliant with the PAS110 protocols.

Funding has been provided under the WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) Environment Transformation Fund, supported by the Department of Energy and Climate Change. This follows an earlier small scale pilot project to test the AD operation at the site, which was carried out by Clearfleau. The mobile plant has just completed further dairy trials and will be used on other projects in the brewing and food processing sector during 2010.

Jim Highnam, Managing Director of BV Dairy, said: “this is a fantastic opportunity, not just for BV Dairy, but for the whole UK dairy industry, to be at the leading edge of renewable energy technology. We need to release the energy value of these unavoidable liquid wastes.

“We will fully grasp the opportunity that this project presents, and we hope that this will be the start of a major shift towards renewable energy production from anaerobic digestion of food wastes.”
Alan McInnes, BV Dairy Technical Director, added: “the project has so many benefits because it will generate energy and reduce waste disposal costs, and at the same time it will have a major impact on the company’s carbon footprint – in fact, the projected carbon footprint reduction is quite staggering.”

Richard Gueterbock, Marketing Director of Clearfleau commented: “This exciting project will demonstrate how dairy companies and food processors can extract energy from effluent that is currently being discharged to sewer. Once it is operational later this year the plant will be open for visitors from the dairy sector as well as from across the food and drink industry.”

The project is backed by Dairy UK, whose Environment Manager Fergus McReynolds commented: “Anaerobic digestion technology can play a major role in reducing the dairy sector’s environmental impact. It is also a key part of processors’ commitment under the Milk Roadmap.”

According to estimates by Dairy UK, if the AD system was replicated across the UK’s dairy sector some 346,000 tonnes of CO₂ could be saved annually.

The CHP system is being hired from ENER·G for a two year period, prior to capital purchase.

ENER·G is urging the farming and land owning community to take advantage of government financial incentives for creating energy from anaerobic digestion (AD), including Renewable Obligations Certificates (ROCs) and newly introduced Feed-in-tariff (FiT).

“AD is a viable, proven technology that is currently under-deployed in this country compared to other parts of Europe,” said Scott Tamplin, Business Development Manager-AD for ENER·G Natural Power. “The government claims that AD could produce 7.5 per cent of the UK’s renewable power by 2020 and I very much hope that the new incentives will help farmers and landowners achieve huge commercial benefits, while helping to hit national targets on carbon emission reductions.”

ENER·G has considerable experience of building, operating and financing major biogas projects across the UK and Europe. The company is expanding its experienced team of specialist engineers to meet growing demand for methane-rich biogas projects, such as AD.

The UK clean tech company’s Hungarian subsidiary ENER-G Energia Technologia Zrt. has designed and built a €2.6 million renewable energy centre at the Budapest wastewater treatment plant in Csepel – part of the Living Danube programme, which is Europe’s largest environmental investment currently under implementation.

ENER-G has installed a 4.5 MWe biogas cogeneration system, together with three 2.5MW Loos boilers for additional hot water generation using natural gas, or biogas. The company also manages the operations and maintenance services.

The renewable energy centre forms part of a biological treatment complex covering 70,000m² on a 29 hectare site at Csepel Island. The plant will increase the amount of biologically treated wastewater in Budapest to 95% by 2010 – treating an average 350,000 m3/day waste water from most of Buda and part of Pest, serving approximately one million people.

Construction of the plant took more than two years and cost nearly half a billion Euros, which was financed by the EU, the Hungarian state and Budapest municipality. It will meet high environmental standards, achieving zero emissions and no odours outside the site borders.

The energy centre will run at up to 80% per cent capacity until September 2010, when it will be fully commissioned. It will supply up to 4.5MWe of renewable electricity to the site which provides more than 50% of the plant’s total electricity consumption. This is the equivalent output of eight large wind turbines. The maximum 8.5MW heat generated by the combined heat and power (CHP) unit is utilised in the digester process consuming 563m3/h biogas per unit.

“The Budapest wastewater treatment plant is a vivid example of how effective anaerobic digestion is as a commercial and environmental solution for large-scale projects such as this,” said Balazs Marialigeti, Director of ENER-G. “It is enormously fulfilling to be involved in this groundbreaking venture and we are looking forward eagerly to full commissioning in September 2010.”
Anaerobic digestion (AD) transforms organic waste material into energy and is a proven technology that delivers substantial commercial advantages, while helping to reduce carbon emissions.

Digestion plants produce a biogas which has high methane content of 50-70 per cent. This otherwise environmentally damaging gas is a rich fuel that can drive a CHP unit to generate both heat and electricity. The heat can be used in the digestion plant, as well as for heating in nearby buildings, while the renewable electricity can be sold at premium rates.

ENER-G has considerable experience of building, operating and financing major biogas projects across Europe and the company is expanding its team of specialist engineers to meet growing demand for methane-rich biogas projects, such as AD.

ENER-G’s flexible financing menu includes a capital purchase option; medium and long term rental of generating plant; discount energy purchase plan for electricity; a shared ROC scheme; and fully financed option which involves ENER-G installing and operating the generation equipment with no capital cost to the organisation at the ‘back-end’ of the AD process.

To register for a free DVD case study of the Budapest biogas cogeneration projects and other ENER-G cogeneration projects, together with a technical overview of cogeneration, please contact: marketing@energ.co.uk or register online at www.energ.co.uk/cogeneration_video

Through its exclusive partnership with four leading manufacturers, the company is providing one of the widest selections of ground source, gas absorption, air source and water loop heat pump technologies in the UK.

The new division expands ENER-G’s existing ground source heat pump operation into a building services focused business that can provide total heat pump solutions for all types of heating and cooling applications utilising heat pumps ranging from 1kW to 1000kW capacity.

ENER-G Sustainable Technologies has relocated its Nottinghamshire base from Ollerton into larger premises in Mansfield, which will accommodate its anticipated year-on-year growth.

Managing Director, Paul Burley said: “Our in-house expertise and resources means we can see the whole job through from initial feasibility through to project handover. We operate our own drilling rigs and offer complete in-house services from specialist design, through to complete project management, installation and maintenance of heat pump technologies. We also have the ability to supply bespoke manufactured heat pumps in a variety of sizes to accommodate complex customer briefs, particularly where space is restricted.”

The introduction of the proposed Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) in April 2011 is expected to stimulate further demand in the sector, providing significant subsidy payments of up to 7.5 pence per kWh for 15 to 23 years that will dramatically reduce the payback period on ground source and air source heat pump technology.

Explains Paul Burley: “This legislation will support a range of heating and cooling systems at all levels, from small businesses and offices, and public sector buildings right up to large factories. A 200kW ground source heat pump operating eight hours a day – typical for a school or moderately sized business premises – would create an annual incentive of approximately £18,000. Similarly, a 200kW air source pump operating in comparable circumstances would lead to a financial gain of around £7,000 per year.

“ENER-G’s expertise in delivering these technologies for all sizes and types of application is unsurpassed. We are currently looking at introducing attractive finance packages which will fund the installation, along with operation and maintenance of the technology at minimal cost to the client”.

Heat pumps supply more energy than they consume by using a refrigeration cycle to absorb heat from the environment and raise it to a suitable level for heating buildings or providing hot water. The process can operate in a reverse cycle to provide cooling for buildings as well. Heat pumps can provide a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to traditional technologies.

When combined heat and power is used to drive heat pumps, further energy savings and CO2 reductions can be achieved. ENER-G is using these two technologies in tandem to power the new Malvern Community Hospital, which will be one of the greenest hospitals in the UK.

ENER-G Sustainable Technologies has won official certification for its expertise in renewable heat pump technology. The Approved Contractor certificate recognises the quality of ENER-G’s design, supply, and installation heat pumps, in line with exacting technical standards set out by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme. The company is also a member of the UK Ground Source Heat Pump Association.

The business is part of the UK-based ENER-G group of companies which employs more than 760 people worldwide, with operating and joint venture companies in 16 countries. It develops, manufactures, delivers and finances energy efficient and renewable solutions, including: combined heat and power, biogas utilisation, geothermal energy, heat pumps, efficient lighting, controls, metering and data solutions, and new generation energy from waste. This is accompanied by a wide range of energy and water consultancy and energy procurement services.

For further information contact ENER-G Sustainable Technologies on 01623 666340, www.energ.co.uk/heatpumps