Birmingham District Energy Scheme Delivering Low Carbon Energy Photo Credit: Dr Bartolomeo Gorgoglione - http://www.panoramio.com/photo/54057387 Birmingham District Energy - 1 Birmingham District Energy The Birmingham District Convention Centre, Barclaycard Energy Scheme is playing Arena, Library of Birmingham, Birmingham’s District a pivotal role in Birmingham residential and educational Energy Scheme was City Council’s climate change buildings on Aston campus conceived in 2003, strategy, which aims to and council housing. The reduce CO2 emissions by scheme makes extensive and the first 25 60% by 2027. use of highly efficient large- year energy supply scale combined heat and agreement with The scheme is a working power (CHP) technologies, partnership between ENGIE and uses conventional boilers Birmingham District and Birmingham City Council for ‘top up’, standby and Energy Company was and includes three district increased resilience. signed in 2006. energy networks, all built and operated by ENGIE, under the BDEC’s three core schemes name of Birmingham District initially involved the supply Energy Company (BDEC). of energy to ten prestigious users from both the The overall network comprises public and private sectors. three schemes, Broad Street, However, due to the scheme’s a Tri-generation (heat, power significant delivery of and cooling) led system, and financial and carbon savings two Eastside Schemes, Aston to its consumers, it has and Birmingham Children’s rapidly expanded to supply Hospital, both CHP led systems several third party private (heat and power). Customers developments. include the International 2 - Birmingham District Energy Scheme WHAT IS DISTRICT WHAT IS AN WHAT ARE CHP & ENERGY? ENERGY CENTRE? TRIGENERATION? District Energy is widely At the heart of every CHP plants simultaneously recognised as a sustainable, District Energy scheme is produce heat and electrical cost-effective solution to an Energy Centre serving a power. For much of the the provision of heating, range of buildings through year the heat output is used cooling and power. District a network of underground for heating and hot water Energy scores highly in pipes and cables. In most in the buildings served by environmental assessments District Energy schemes the District Energy scheme, such as Code for Sustainable the Energy Centre includes while the power meets Homes (CFSH), BREEAM and a CHP plant, which may be local or national electrical LEED. combined with chilling requirements. In summer, the surplus heat may be (tri-generation) where there used to drive an absorption It also facilitates compliance is a cooling requirement. with Building Regulations chiller to generate chilled Part L requirements. water for cooling in these Schemes may also Increased use of District buildings (Tri-generation). Energy coupled with incorporate other low In the correct situation, Combined Heat and Power and zero carbon (LZC) this can deliver significant (CHP) is a cornerstone of technologies such as fuel energy savings compared the Government’s strategy cells, biomass, solar thermal, to conventional methods of for reducing carbon heat pumps and high providing heating, cooling emissions in urban areas. efficiency gas-fired boilers. and power. Birmingham District Energy Scheme - 3 Aston University 4 - Birmingham District Energy Scheme Birmingham District Energy The first phase (the Broad be linked together to improve applied to maximum effect. Street scheme) encompassed resilience and maximise a range of buildings in the energy saving opportunities. For example, the Birmingham central business district served Children’s Hospital scheme by an Energy Centre at the The Birmingham District (which includes a connection International Convention Energy scheme has enjoyed to Birmingham City Council’s Centre (ICC), and was launched rapid growth since its Lancaster Circus) features in October 2007. Further inception, enabling the on- a low carbon energy centre phases began operation at going expansion of the housing a 1.6 MWe CHP, Aston University during 2009 scheme and its combined designed and built by BDEC and Birmingham Children’s low carbon plant capacity, as and is expected to save 4,300 Hospital in 2010. The schemes more customers have come tonnes of CO2 emissions per are also being extended into on stream. As the scheme annum. Overall, the scheme is several regeneration areas evolves, ENGIE’s innovative saving over 15,000 tonnes of across the city and, ultimately, approach ensures that low CO2 per annum compared to all of these ‘sub-schemes’ will carbon technologies are traditional systems. 60,000+ 18,000+ 8,000+ MWh of heat per tonnes of CO2 saved MWh of chilled annum per annum water per annum 47,000+ 12 km Electricity MWh of electricity of insulated supplies from the CHP plant distribution pipe synchronised with the National Grid 100°C/60°C 0.5°C Hot water flow/return temperature loss temperatures per km of pipe Birmingham District Energy Scheme - 5 Broad Street District Energy Scheme Broad Street District Energy - Birmingham New Street CONNECTION TO Scheme is a large, commercial Station & John Lewis BIRMINGHAM NEW district Tri-generation energy The Broad Street Scheme STREET STATION scheme which features a 1.6 saves over 5,700 tonnes MWe CHP unit. The scheme’s AND JOHN LEWIS of CO2 per annum, a figure low carbon generation plant which will increase as new DEPARTMENT STORE was originally only based at consumers are added to the Working with Network Rail, the International Convention network such as the New BDEC successfully connected Centre (ICC) but a further Library of Birmingham. 600 kW CHP engine was the Broad Street heating installed at the Barclaycard network to the newly Arena (BCA) in 2008. The THE ICC ENERGY refurbished Birmingham low carbon energy is used to CENTRE New Street Station. A new provide heating and cooling 1.6 MWe CHP engine was This building houses the to the buildings connected to installed as part of the project energy generation plant which the scheme through thermal providing both BNSS and provides heating, power and networks laid under the the new flagship John Lewis cooling to the consumers streets of Birmingham which Partnership store with a low on the Broad Street District interconnect the schemes carbon heat and power supply. Energy scheme. Built at the buildings. same time as the ICC and BCA it was ideally suited to The connection to the Station The Broad Street Scheme’s be adapted to house the first and John Lewis store allows consumers include: BDEC CHP unit. the interconnection of the existing schemes across - The Town Hall As the Broad Street scheme Birmingham City Centre, expands, this Energy Centre integrating the Broad Street - The Council House will be supplemented with and Aston district energy further satellite energy centres networks. This enables longer - Hyatt Regency Hotel (such as the new BCA CHP) operating hours of CHPs - The REP Theatre in strategic developments (reducing imported electricity) connecting to the scheme. and improves operational - ICC These additional Energy efficiency, resulting in Centres will thermally link additional citywide capacity, - Barclaycard Arena and into the networks serving resilience and an anticipated International Convention the core buildings along further 3000 tonnes Centre Broad Street. CO2 saving. 6 - Birmingham District Energy Scheme Birmingham New Street Station International Conference Centre Birmingham District Energy Scheme - 7 Birmingham Children’s Hospital 8 - Birmingham District Energy Scheme Eastside Schemes The Eastside schemes are within BDEC’s Jennens Road In addition, the scheme split into two phases. energy centre. The scheme contributed in the ITHECA initially delivered CO2 emission consortium being outright Phase one is the Aston reductions of 5,300 tonnes per winners of the Business University Scheme and phase annum, with further contracts Innovation category at the two is Birmingham Children’s for third party connections Midlands Environmental Hospital (BCH) Scheme. placed to receive heat from Business Company awards There is also a large urban the scheme before the CHP due to innovative partnership regeneration area which the construction project had even collaborations with Aston Eastside schemes are planned been completed. University, Open Energy and to expand into. Cenex in producing a world Additionally, a new purpose first Intelligent Transport, The Eastside scheme built Energy Centre, consisting Heating and Electrical Control consumers include: of a 1.6 MWe CHP now serves Agent (ITHECA). the Birmingham Children’s - Aston University Main Hospital and Birmingham Campus City Council’s Lancaster Circus Offices with low- - Birmingham Children’s carbon energy. The scheme, operational from August Hospital 2010, delivers a further 4,300 tonnes of CO2 - Lancaster Circus emissions savings each year. (Birmingham City Council) BDEC has received a number of awards over the - Woodcock Street years around low carbon Administration (BCC) energy, innovation and partnership. These include BDEC commenced its delivery acknowledgement from the of low carbon sustainable Association of Decentralised energy to Aston University in Energy (ADE), recognising 2009. A total of 3 MWe of CHP major innovation within capacity has been installed heating networks and CHPs. Birmingham District Energy Scheme - 9 Third Party Consumers Considerable financial, - Cambridge and Crescent FUTURE PROOFING environmental and planning Towers AND RENEWABLES benefits make joining the Birmingham