Packaged and mini-CHP is designed to meet the heat requirements of large and medium-sized standalone buildings such as an office complex, hospital or block of flats, through to smaller sites such as a leisure centre, supermarket, care home or hotel amongst numerous other examples. Where relevant, these units can also feed power into the electricity network and can contribute excess heat to a district heating network.
Profile: Sainsbury
Sainsbury installed two standalone packaged CHP units at its store on Cromwell Road, West London, when faced with the prospect of delays to refurbishment due to insufficient local power supplies. The installation of the two Cogenco 210 kilowatt (kWe) CHP units meant that the fast-tracked store enhancement could be completed as planned.
The two gas-fired CHP units now meet a large portion of the store’s electrical heating requirements as well as providing heat for hot water and space heating. The installation has also been designed so that the units can maintain power supplies to the store’s refrigeration systems in the event of an interruption to the mains power supply.
The units have cut energy bills at the Cromwell Road store by £20,000 per annum and CO2 emissions by nearly 2,000 tonnes a year. The store is just one numerous example where Sainsbury have installed CHPs and secured significant cost and environmental benefit as a result.
Profile: Cranfield University
Cranfield University is installing a packaged CHP unit ready for operation in October 2010. The unit, to be run by Edina UK, will result in a substantial reduction in the University’s large and expensive energy bill. Even after the cost of the contract for operation and maintenance, it is anticipated that the CHP unit will provide an annual cost saving of approximately £250,000.
It will also provide a substantial contribution towards the University’s own target for reductions in CO2 emissions of over 50% over the period to 2014. With a potential net saving of 1,500 tonnes of CO2, the CHP unit will certainly help them on their way in achieving this goal.