Croft Castle Biomass

From Harvest to Heat

Chatsworth House - 8th July 2015

Presented by Ed Wood

Why Renewables?

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The national Trust looks after special places for ever and for everyone; from historic houses and gardens to beautiful countryside and coastline. We have a responsibility to sustain these special places for ever, requiring us to make long-term decisions that will protect them for future generations  

We recognise the threat of climate change and pollution to our environment

Why Renewables?

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“Grow Your Own” Strategy approved by the Trustees Jan 2010

Why Renewables?

How?•Increase Energy Efficiency: 20% reduction in energy use by 2020

•Use more Renewable Energy sources: 50% by 2020

•Renewable Energy Investment Programme

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• Reduce the risk of climate change and the threat to our environment

• Remove the immediate environmental risk of oil use at our sites

• Reduce our exposure to fuel supply risk and volatile prices

• Save money that can contribute to our core purpose of Conservation

What Energy do we use in the Midlands?

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Croft Castle and Parkland

Croft Castle is a late seventeenth-century castellated manor house with fine Georgian interiors and a family connection dating back almost 1,000 years. Set in 1,700 acres of stunning Herefordshire countryside renowned for its veteran trees and Spanish chestnut Avenue.

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What did we Install?

199 kW HDG woodchip biomass boiler and heat main supplying conservation and comfort heating and hot water to:•Croft Castle•Garden Cottage (Holiday cottage)•Stable Cottage and Flat•Home Farm •Gardeners Office

This also required a new boiler house with chip hopper and a new chip store including facilities to house the ranger team.

•Project initiated in March 2013•Business Case approval was given in July 2013•Implementation Approval was received February 2014•Build completed in September 2014

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• Heat assessment

• Renewable options

• Preferred solution

• Financial modelling

Feasibility

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The Biomass Project in Numbers

• Supplies 75% of the heat required annually by Croft (200 MWh) from a renewable source

• Saves 19,500 litres of oil per year

• 52 Tonnes of Co2 saved per year

• The total project cost around £445,000. This included a significant amount of architectural, design and planning works to ensure a solution appropriate to the historic nature of the site.

• The project will payback in15 years and deliver a 5% return on investment.

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Other Benefits

• Removal of 6 oil tanks

• Greater fuel security and resilience – self supply wood and remove price volatility of oil.

• Increased benefit to managing woodland and added value to existing wood stock

• Improvements to tenanted farm yard and site storage/ranger facilities

• Positive PR message of sustainability

• Staff and volunteer engagement

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Before….

After….

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Wood Chip Supply

The Biomass requires 100 tonnes per year (of chip wood) for boiler.

This is to be sustainably sourced through wood thinning's, allowing improved growth and biodiversity in the woodland.

Chip wood previously only had a value of around £5 per tonne to the property.Using this for heat adds value to the woodland and removes external oil costs.

Felling ≈ £19 per tonne Transport to Chip store ≈ £8 per tonneChipping ≈ £10 per tonne Transport to Boiler ≈ £25 per month

Total production cost ≈ £45 per tonne.

Property buys HEAT from Countryside team (around 3p per kWh = £98 per tonne)This encourages good fuel quality rather than quantity.

Profit for the ranger team, but still cheaper than oil for the property team

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Everybody Wins!

The Build…..

Appointed Biomass Contractor 16/05/2014 Site works started 02/06/2014 Boiler House Construction complete 11/07/2014 Boiler installation 21/07/2014 First heat – Boiler commissioned 18/08/2014 Handover from contractor 17/09/2014 RHI application 19/09/2014

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Boiler House Foundations

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Boiler House Superstructure

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Heat Main

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Chip Store

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Building Entry and Accumulators

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Biomass Boiler in

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Oil Boilers Out

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Fuel Feed and First Fire

Results and Learnings• Project was successful - delivered on time, under budget, and to quality

• Extensive work with stakeholders early in project paid off (planning, curators etc.)

• Rigorous tender process paid off in terms of contractor selection

• Excellent service from Principle Contractor – Euroheat and their subcontractors (Efficient Energy Centre and CJ Bayliss

• Devil is in the detail – Both in design and install

• Taking time to do rigorous Feasibility, and Design and Plan was worth it.

• Design and Build contract was effective, but did need a good level of ‘eyes and ears’ on the ground.

• Wood chip supply and management was considered in detail and preparation started early to ensure quality

• Select the right renewable technology in the right location

• Operations need to be understood early and future owners identified

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Run the Video……

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