The Association for Decentralised Energy
Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust faced the challenge of meeting stringent carbon reduction targets, while reducing energy costs and finding a way to fund the replacement of ageing heating, lighting and energy control systems.
In 2004 Centrica Business Solutions (formerly ENER-G) was selected to supply, finance and help operate and maintain a major energy services package. Our investment is being re-paid via the energy savings and providing additional cost savings that the Trust can use for patient care. We also helped the Trust to obtain a Community Energy grant of £547,000.
This was a win-win solution that included the installation of our 1150kWe combined cooling heat and power (CCHP)/trigeneration system, together with new boilers, replacement of the asbestos lagged district heating main, new energy efficient lighting, and a new building energy management system.
Our trigeneration technology provides the hospital with both medium temperature hot water and steam. This is supplemented by a new composite boiler and a gas fired boiler. We created an innovative chilled water system to convert the waste heat generated by the CHP into chilled water for the hospital cooling system. This included a chilled water ring main, which linked a variety of chilled water plant, including a new 700kWe absorption chiller.
The Trust’s aim was to maximise energy cost and CO2 emissions savings through innovation; reduce the maintenance backlog of energy infrastructure; transfer risk from the Trust; secure grant funding, and create a self funded, cash neutral scheme.
All of these objectives have been met and the project has enabled the hospital to save more than £780,000 a year, simultaneously shrinking its carbon footprint by some 2,000 tonnes annually.
One of the most popular benefits is the improvement in comfort throughout the hospital. Temperatures had typically been around 27°C, but ward temperatures are now down to more comfortable levels, with cooling available as required.
We have delivered integrated energy projects across more than 50 hospitals and provided proven expertise in replacing dated plants with state-of-the art low and zero carbon alternatives that place no financial burden on hospitals or UK tax-payers.
Our CHP system is monitored in real-time via its in-built computer, which enables our service centre engineers to constantly view the system and make adjustments remotely to optimise performance. This is backed by a comprehensive service contract, providing a full operation and maintenance package.
