Project Genesis
There is an over reliance on fossil fuel imports throughout all sectors of the Irish economy leaving Irish industry vulnerable and exposed to fluctuations in fossil fuel prices. This reliance on fossil fuel also needs to be addressed in the context of our commitments to the Kyoto protocol. High
energy users in the commercial sector would benefit most from using woodchip as a fuel and simultaneously they would help Ireland reduce its CO2 output.
The Irish public sector needs to lead by example and set the standard for the private sector to follow. This project would help to overcome the conservative viewpoint and legitimate
concerns amongst the commercial and industrial sector regarding the dependency, security of supply and cost effectiveness of wood as a fuel.
The main benefits of a woodchip fuelled heating system for Johnstown are:
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Running cost savings – ESCO1 can provide energy at 3.5 cent/kWh compared to oil at 5 cent/kWh.
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Use of locally produced forest woodchip stimulating employment in local economy.
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Woodchip is a sustainable resource whereas oil is a finite resource.
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Woodchip is a carbon neutral fuel.
Ms Mary Wallace TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture and Food with responsibility for forestry commenting on the boiler installation in the Wexford offices
and woodchip as an alternative energy source to fossil fuels said:
“it is incumbent on everybody to find new ways of reducing our dependence on expensive imported fossil fuels not only from the
point of view of reducing our economic dependency but also
from an environmental point of view. As a 'carbon neutral' fuel,
wood energy can contribute significantly to Ireland meeting its
targets under the Kyoto Protocol”.
“The promotion of wood as a viable alternative energy source is
a key objective of the Government. This project will serve as a
template for further action by state and private institutions alike.
I am particularly pleased that a number of businesses have
already made the switch to wood energy.”
Project Management
The existing heating installation consisted of three 400kWoil boilers. Igneus Ltd a wood energy specialist company was retained to design and install the complete woodchip boiler
and fuel storage system. The required woodchip boiler output of 330kW was calculated from existing oil usage figures and will serve the mean winter load. During particularly cold periods the oil boilers will automatically “kick
in” to satisfy the peak heat requirement.
The woodchip fuel storage consists of a semi-submerged
concrete tank to facilitate quick and noiseless deliveries.This
was a site specific requirement due to the proximity of the
boiler house to offices.
Installation of the fuel storage system involved construction of
the semi-submerged concrete bunker complete with a
hydraulic “walking floor” fuel feeding system. There was
sufficient space in the existing plant room to locate the woodchip
boiler.On the mechanical end the woodchip boiler was
integrated into the existing LPHW system. A heat metering
system was also installed to allow billing by the ESCO.
The fuel contract was put out to tender as an ESCO type setup.
This means that the OPW do not buy fuel or maintain the
system – they only purchase energy recorded by the heat
meter. The woodchip boiler and fuel feeding system is fully
automated.
The delivery of fuel and maintenance of the complete woodchip
system is the sole responsibility of the ESCO. The
maintenance of the system is not onerous and involves
emptying the ash bin and giving the system a general check
over during a delivery of woodchip. A bi-annual service is
recommended to maintain high efficiencies and each service
involves only a half day’s work for a trained plumber. The
delivery schedule is once every two weeks during the winter
time.
Financial Feasibility
The financial feasibility was the secondary focus in the
decision making process to implement this project.
The financial payback is longer for this project when
compared to a similar sized woodchip installation in a
commercial application.The main reasons for this are:
 The main heating requirement is space heating for offices.The design of the building results in high solar gain which negates the need for heating from April until September. However, in a typical hotel installation there would be a low
heating demand but a high hot water demand during the
busy summer period,maximising the usage of the woodchip
system.
The OPW did not avail of grant aid for the project under
the SEI’s Bioheat Programme
The fuel store was semi-submerged to allow quick, hassle free
deliveries of fuel and also for aesthetic purposes.The most
applicable type of feeding system for this fuel store was a
hydraulic scraper system which is more reliable but also more
expensive than standard fuel feeding systems.
The fuel savings resulting from using woodchip instead of oil
will be in excess of €10,000 per annum.
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