West Midlands Case Studies
Sewage treatment works, Minworth
- Severn Trent plc sewage treatment works
- 100% self sufficient in electricity, exporting 12% surplus to the national grid.
- Anaerobic digestion is used to process more than 4000 litres of sludge a day
- Produces 75000 cubic metres of sewage gas, mostly methane
- Combined heat and power, with the heat used in the digestion process.
Further information:
http://www.stwater.co.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.3345
Factsheet:
http://www.bioenergywm.org/documents/Minworth.pdf
Express Bonding Services Ltd, Oldbury, Birmingham
- Produce bonded timber products such as furniture
- Two Talbott’s Heating T500 models – space heating (hot air).
- During winter, they use 4-5 tonnes of waste wood per day
- Space heating for an area of 21,000 sq. ft.
- Net annual benefit of at least £4000, due to savings on heating bills and waste disposal charges.
http://www.mwen.org.uk/PDFs/Case%20Studies/Express_Bonding_CS.PDF
Smith Brothers Ltd, Oldbury, Birmingham
- Smith Brothers produce wooden packaging boxes
- For both heating and waste wood disposal, they use a 150kW T500 biomass heater from Talbott’s Heating.
- Space heating for an area of around 30000 sq. ft.
- Because of constant operation, the company saves around £100 per week.
- The heater is loaded with both softwood and plywood
http://www.mwen.org.uk/PDFs/Case%20Studies/Smith_Bros_CS.PDF
District Heating Network in Stechford, Birmingham
In 1992, Birmingham City Council was looking for alternatives to electric heating for three 13-storey blocks of flats in Stechford, Birmingham. The heating system of the adjacent Stechford Cascades Leisure Centre was also in need of refurbishment and extension and it was decided to install a community heating plant to serve the adjacent housing blocks as well as the Leisure Centre.
· A combined heat and power (CHP) unit and two new boilers were installed at the Cascades Leisure Centre
· 180 kW of electricity is generated to power the Leisure Centre
· 350 kW of heat is also produced, some of which is used to supply the 150 homes
· Underground heating mains were also installed, to run the 200m from the Centre to the three housing blocks
· A new heat exchanger was installed at the ground floor of each housing block
· Co2 emmissions were reduced by 1,900 tonnes per year
Costs:
· The total capital cost of the CHP unit, two boilers and new boiler house was £345,000 (in 1992)
· The Council spent a further £1.86 million on new heating systems for the 150 homes and the refurbishment of the fabric of the three blocks
Further Information:
Site by PerfectArc 2006