Guide to community heating and CHP Commercial, public and

4,21

MB

domestic applications

130

stron

5874

ID

DBI Gas- und Umwelttechnik GmbH

2003

rok

FOREWORD

The development or refurbishment of community heating (CH) schemes offers significant

opportunities for supplying affordable warmth to residents, for delivering energy efficiently to a

wide range of clients, and reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. This Guide is a fully revised

version of the ‘Guide to the Implementation of CHP/DH Systems’ (1990).

This new Guide has been assembled by a group of experts directly involved in CH schemes in the

UK and other European countries. It provides a full update on all the technical issues that must be

addressed by those considering implementing community heating, including feasibility, design,

operation, surveillance, and maintenance. CH schemes are capital intensive, so the Guide also

suggests financing routes for establishing a scheme. Equally importantly, it also includes new

sections covering legal, insurance and environmental matters.

The introduction or improvement of a community heating scheme incorporating CHP provides a

unique opportunity to supply heat and electricity directly to domestic, institutional, commercial, and

industrial buildings. It is an extremely flexible energy supply system because any fuel can be

used, and production from a variety of plants can be utilised in the same network; this is important

in providing the most robust of fuel scenarios for the future. Furthermore, together with bulk

purchasing of fuel and load diversification, this leads to economical running costs.

Community heating systems are excellent candidates for CHP. CHP can significantly reduce the

primary energy use per unit of energy consumed by the final user, with consequent reductions in

CO2 emissions. They also offer a reliable and economic way for local authorities and housing

associations to ensure affordable warmth for residents.

Effective and economic modern systems in Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Germany are

testament to the popularity and environmental benefits of state-of-the-art CH technology that is

now available. There are also impressive examples of new and refurbished systems within the UK

that are serving the best interests of both their customers and the environment. The Guide

recommends that those who are considering, or are about to embark on, a CH scheme should

consult operators who have experience of similar schemes. Drawing from such experience at the

earliest stage will assist in the initial design. It will also help to ensure that the very wide range of

issues that need to be addressed are given proper consideration.

Potential major new schemes can take inspiration from the city-wide networks in Sheffield and

Nottingham. Sheffield’s network serves 3500 dwellings and other major clients such as Barclays

Bank, the Fountain Precinct, and Sheffield’s universities, and it is growing — Weston Park Hospital

is an example of a major client recently connected.

Nottingham’s city-wide scheme was exhibiting many of the problems associated with older

community heating schemes, before its recent refurbishment took place. Removal or refurbishment

of major infrastructure represents a key strategic decision, and it is absolutely vital that such an

important decision is underscored by a full option appraisal with full life-cycle costing. When

Nottingham carried out such an appraisal it became clear that the most economic solution was

refurbishment of the existing system.

Confidence in new pipe technology, monitoring, surveillance, and billing techniques, plus an

innovative approach to customer relations, has been rewarded by a system that reliably supplies

affordable warmth to residents and other customers.

Community heating schemes are not limited to major cities: Chesterfield, Rotherham, Doncaster,

Billingham, Mansfield and Woking are examples of towns with successful smaller schemes. Nor are

they limited to local authorities — effective and economical schemes by St Pancras Housing

Association and North British Housing Association are examples of the innovative approach

pursued by a number of Housing Associations. The Guide covers the issues relating to large

schemes (typically several megawatts upwards), but much of it will be essential to those

implementing smaller schemes.

Networks can also be configured to supply cooling as well as heating. For example, Southampton’s

city centre network serves hotels, supermarkets, BBC studios, and a shopping and leisure complex

with both heat and chilled water.

The large CHP/CH developments in Europe have been built up by the amalgamation of smaller

schemes, often developed initially with boiler plant which may be relocated to new areas at a later

date. A similar approach is likely in the UK; Leicester City Council has, for instance, installed small-

scale CHP units into tower blocks, creating islands of CH for future linkage. Identification of

existing large commercial or institutional buildings and residential group heating schemes will assist

the development of a core heat market, provided the building’s owners can enter into long-term

commitments for the purchase of heat.

The Guide identifies new opportunities to ease the problem of establishing capitalintensive projects

such as CH and CHP. Full liberalisation of the electricity market in 1998 facilitates the sale of

locally (CHP) generated electricity to residents, so that local authorities, housing associations, or

those acting on their behalf, are in a position to offer a suite of energy services.

The Government is actively encouraging the greater use of energy services within the public

sector. The increasing delegation of budgets and responsibilities to operational units, the emphasis

on the use of the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and changes in Treasury rules are providing fuller

opportunities for the public sector to realise the economic and environmental benefits offered by

energy services.

The new Guide aims to provide information for all those who are involved with initiating, extending,

or refurbishing a CH scheme.