Feasibility Study Application - PowerPoint

							Biomass boiler plant at the University of Bradford
Association of University Engineers NE regional meeting April 2008




   Adrian Davison Regional Director, PB Energy Solutions



                              Engineering a sustainable future
   PB – Putting the pieces together
PB Energy Solutions part in Bradford University’s
500kWth biomass boiler project



               Grant                       Planning

 Feasibility                 Business
   study     Application      Case    Permission



               Operate                  Built by Promech
12m Review                 Fuel Contract




                           Engineering a sustainable future
     Why bother with renewables?


• Environmental credentials have an increasing
  “value” to your customers decision making

• They are cheaper than fossil fuels, with less volatile prices

• Organisations who are continuously reducing their emissions will
  benefit from the CRC league table
  The 500kW woodchip boiler will reduce carbon purchases by 4%

• Government instruction is for regulated bodies to lead by example

• Grant schemes are used to “pump prime” activities, and are removed
  when momentum is established – early adopters win
  (if they take care)



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     Initial feasibility & design study


• PB examined the feasibility of operating a
  biomass boiler to supply the JB Priestley library and communal
  building – a floor area of almost 17,000m2

• The scope included:
   - Validating heating demands
   supplied by existing gas boiler plant

   - Undertaking a sizing
   calculation for biomass boiler plant

   - Exploring the options for locating the biomass plant and fuel stores

   - Undertaking a whole life costing exercise based upon supplier quotes

   - Examining the potential for CO2 and financial savings from installing the boiler



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  Map of site showing constraints

                        Biomass boiler and fuel store
                        location proposed by PB




                                             Biomass boiler house
                                             and fuel store




Existing boiler house




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     The Bio-energy Capital Grants
           Scheme Round 3

• PB submitted an application to round three of
  the bio-energy capital grand scheme using the output of the
  feasibility study

• The scheme provides funding for upto 40% of the cost of eligible
  assets, which include:

   -Biomass boiler
   -Fuel supply equipment
   -Directly related ancillary plant

• The total eligible costs were estimated to be £378k

• Bradford University was awarded £143k (40% of eligible costs) in
  August 2007



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                Frohling Boiler
             Installed by Promech


• Grant funding imposed time constraints and
  prevented going to competitive tender for the design and installation
  of boiler

• PB provided technical support during the design process

• PB produced a basis of design that contained the preferred
  specification based upon the output of the feasibility study

• PB were involved with the project team meetings, providing technical
  support where required.

• PB are to be involved with auditing the plant through its
  commissioning and the next 12 months to validate the CO2 savings.



                                  Engineering a sustainable future
    Issues with setting up a woodchip
             supply contract
• A supplier who is willing to work with you
  (as ever) is essential as all sites are different

• Buy Heat (from the heat meter) not tonnes of woodchip
  (the supplier then can balance delivery costs vs % dryness)

• Woodchip is a low energy density fuel so
  transport distances are important, and impact on your CO2 savings

• Biofuel systems operate for less hours per year than fossil fuels

• There is no “British Standard” for woodchip (yet)

• The university expects to use over 500 T/yr

• Drying the wood takes the supplier >12 months



                                    Engineering a sustainable future
    Issues with setting up a woodchip
         supply contract (cont’d)

• Customers want predictable prices, pay less as
  they use more, and have multi year contracts

• Suppliers want volume certainty to manage their risk in drying

• Customers want to pay as they use the fuel (like natural gas)

• Woodchip supply contracts are in their infancy with few suppliers

• Most suppliers do not have well developed terms and conditions

• Consequences of irregular woodchips needs to be covered

• Financial consequences of taking more / less than predicted volumes

• Supplying the fuel delivery systems (2 x 35m3 hook lift bins) was
  made part of the fuel supply arrangements.


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        Review of performance

• The university is required to demonstrate that
  the installed biomass boiler is delivering the
  CO2 savings that were advised in the grant application.

• Heat meters monitored by the TREND system will automatically log
  the proportion of heat supplied from the biomass boiler and allow
  calculation of the reduced gas consumption.

• The university is keen to disseminate their experiences of installing
  and operating the biomass boiler. It is planned to follow up this
  meeting with operational data and lessons learned when available




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             The BIG question?


• Would Bradford University install another one
  like it again?
  (Yes – 400-500kW in the School of Management Resource Centre !)

• Lessons learned about procuring without going to tender…

• Immature market, suppliers in this market need to learn from other
  similar markets, un-competitive practices?

• Lack of competition of plant suppliers, difficult to ensure fair price.

• The availability of good quality managed fuel supplies is critical

• Close to (but better than) the business case.



                                    Engineering a sustainable future
    Contact details

Parsons Brinckerhoff
Adrian Davison
NW Regional Director, Energy Solutions
Tel: 0161 2005064
Mobile: 07733 151513
Email: davisonad@pbworld.com




                                  Engineering a sustainable future