Mark Howell – Business Development

Vital Energi Utilities Limited

Sustainable District HeatingSolutions

Presentation to Regen SW

Building Regional Capacity in Low-CarbonDevelopment

4 March 2008

Presentation Outline1. Vital Energi

Background Turnkey Capability

2. Components of a ‘turnkey’ installation Energy Centre Design, DH network, Hydraulic Interface Units, Metering /

Billing

3. District Heating Future-Proofing Technology / Fuel Flexibility Ensuring long-term operation

4. Case Studies Glenshellach, Oban Littlecombe, Dursley – under construction

5. Summary

Vital Energi

Vital Energi (VE) have been involved in District HeatingSchemes since the mid eighties and have been involved in allthe major Heat Distribution Networks in the UK.

We are the UK’s leading District Heating company and have thecapability to undertake sizeable projects.

VE are a distributor and installer of a Logstor’s Pre-insulatedPipe system for the UK and Ireland.

VE have the expertise to design, install, operate and maintaincommunity energy schemes / ESCo’s.

Who Are We?

Who Are We?

Energy Centre

Distribution

Customer Interface

Metering

“Turnkey” developer of energy projects

Main markets are the residential and commercial sectors

Turnkey Components

DesignArchitectural DesignStructural DesignLocal Authority ApprovalConsultationM & E Design

ConstructionSite Set-upCo-ordination with other worksConstructionInstallation of M & E ServicesCommissioningHandover to O & M Team

Operation & MaintenanceContinual Operational Management

Energy Centre

Distribution - District Heating

DesignConsultation with Statutory ServicesConsultation with LocalRepresentativesSystem / Route Design

InstallationSite Set-upCo-ordination with other worksInstallation of Pre-insulated ServicesFlushing / CommissioningHandover to O & M Team

Operation & MaintenanceContinual Operational Management

Supply fromEnergyCentre

Heating

Flow

3 Main Components

1. Hydraulic Interface Unit (HIU)

2. Programmer

3. Domestic Credit Module (DCM)- optional

Benefits

Simple Controls

Advanced Meters

Space Saving

Avoids DHW Storage

Instant Heat / HotWater

PPM Facility

Tariff Variations

CW

Sin

Heating

Return

HW

Sout

Customer Interface

Metering and Payment

Compact heat meter using ultrasonic technology

Highly accurate recording of all billing data indistrict heating systems

Heat Meter

POS located in local shopPOS located in local shop

System eliminates risk of bad debt.System eliminates risk of bad debt.

Residents choose amount of heat creditResidents choose amount of heat credit

Facilitates the production of detailed exceptionFacilitates the production of detailed exceptionreports.reports.

System remotely read at Vital Energi HQ eliminatingSystem remotely read at Vital Energi HQ eliminatingonon--site meter readingssite meter readings

Gives low operation & admin. costs.Gives low operation & admin. costs.

Programmer / Pre-payment Unit

VBill Utility Billing System

Sample Bill

Front Screen

Vital Experience

Vital Experience

Biomass Plant - Lasswade Road

Danish factoryPlant

dispatch

Lasswade Road installation

Range of Live ProjectsFeb 08 Biomass – 1,200 dwellings

– Harrow, London – Biomass, DH, HIU’s and meters– Westminster, London – CHP, Biomass, DH, HIU’s and meters– Scotland – Isle of Skye – 2 schemes - Biomass, DH, HIU’s and meters– Scotland – Edinburgh - Biomass, DH, HIU’s and meters– Northern Ireland – Biomass, DH, HIU’s and meters– Gloucester – Biomass, DH, HIU’s and meters

CHP – 2,000 + dwellings– White City, London – CHP, DH, Private Wire, HIU’s and meters– Tower Hamlets, London – CHP– Greenwich, London – CHP, DH, HIU’s and meters– Westminster, London – CHP, Biomass, DH, HIU’s and meters

Gas boiler Energy Centres– Walton-on-Thames – Whiteley Village – Energy Centre, DH, HIU’s and metering.– Southside – Wandsworth – Energy Centre, DH, HIU’s and metering– Barnet – Energy Centre, DH

DH Connections– Southwark, London – Coopers Rd - DH extension to 2nd Phase of new build.– Camden Estates – Mains replacement– Hackney – Mains replacement– Tower Hamlets – New DH extension

District Heating‘Future-Proofing’

Technology!

Distribution of heat to a number of consumersfrom a centralised source or sources.

Supplies heat via a heat network – preinsulatedburied mains

Serves more than one building or dwelling, mayserve one or more sites

Can serve all sectors – residential, commercial,education, leisure, health, industrial etc

Heat sources include Combined Heat & Power(CHP) and renewables e.g. biomass

What is District Heating?(also applies to District Cooling)

District Heating, CHP and Biomass

DH Compared to otherforms of Energy Supply

District Heating Energy – Low Grade

Localised use only Localised (Distributed)

generation 2 Pipes (F&R) Rigid pipes Heat loss prevention Fuel Flexibility

Electricity / Gas Energy – High Grade (HV,

Gas compressible) Countrywide networks Centralised generation

Single cable / pipe Easier installation Ambient distribution Single energy source

Sustainable Energy future proofing– Heat Network infrastructure – 50 year+ design life

Heat can be introduced from a number of points intothe Arterial or Ring Mains

Primary heat generator/s– Needs to be replaced at only limited points (i.e. Energy

Centres)– Future heating fuel source simply adapted.

• e.g. future biomass heat source linked in.

Security of supply– Combinations of fuels supplying – Biomass, AD, Gas,

Hydrogen (future) – whatever else might occur in future!

District Heating - Fuel Flexibility

District Heating

Design Principles,Properties and Installation

District Heating Distribution

– Buried Pre-insulated Pipes

– Two pipes

• Low Temperature Hot Water

• Flow (75-85 °C) / Return (40-60 °C)

Flow Temp – Return Temp = T (Delta T)

– Greater the T the better, say 35 °C +

– Advantages

• Reduced capital cost

• Greater heat carrying capacity of pipes

• Reduced pumping cost

The Distribution System

Pipes are Pipes are Pipes!

Different pipe constructions– Service or carrier pipe material– Insulation material– Outer protective casing material

Different Joint assembliesDifferent material properties

– Heat loss– Expected design life

Different operating conditions– Temperature– Pressure

They are all the same – aren’t they?

District Heating Pipe TypesTwo main DH Pipe Types1. Steel2. Flexible

(Standard is being prepared)

EN/BS Standards

No Standards

DH Steel vs Plastic

Steel DH Plastic (PEX) DH

Operating Temp 140°C 80-85°C

Operating Pressure 25 bar 6 bar

Heat loss 100mm pipe at85°C

23.6 W/m 37-38 W/m

BS / EN Standards Yes No

Water Diffusion barrier Yes No

Leak detection Yes No

Pre-insulated valves Yes No

Expected design life 50+ yrs (Fusionjoints)

Depends on op. regime- can be 20 years!

Comparison of main properties.

Flexible PEX Pipe

Steam diffusion through medium pipe PEX

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

20 °C 30 °C 40 °C 50 °C 60 °C 70 °C 80 °C 90 °C

Flow temperature

Wat

erp

assa

ge

ing

/m.Y

ear

Produced by Jørgen Daugaard, Danish Technological Institute

Steam diffusion throughmedium pipe PEX

Wat

erg

/mp

erye

ar

Flow temperature

20°C 50°C 90°C

80

40

0

InsulationProperties?

Pipe Deliveries / Storage

Considerations

Deliveries and off-loading

Adequate Storage Space

Site Distribution

District Heating Installation Trench is level Access for pipe distribution Sand-bagged at regular

intervals Bell-holes for welding /

jointing (shored-up) Pre-curved pipe

Layers1. Stoneless sand + Warning tape2. Backfill3. Road layer

Minimum 400mm from top ofpipe to underside of road layer

District Heating Valves

Pre-insulated valves

Standard valve in valve chamber

Valves located at strategic points on DH network Isolation of network sections

– Phase network construction– Future network extension– Partial drain down for repair

1. Pre-insulated Valves2. Ordinary lagged valve enclosed in valve chamber

Monitoring systems

Four Systems1. Portable unit2. Detection system3. Location system4. Central monitoring

system

3. Locationsystem

Operation and MaintenanceOwner / Operator DH water chemically dosed

– Bulk dosing• Initial charging, extensions etc

– Regularly checked by water treatment company• Dependant on water make-up required• Top-up dosing as required

DH Contractor (Vital) Offer O&M service – Biannual visits Maintenance

– Check Surveillance system– Service valves

Agreements– Fused welded joints

• 15 year annual maintenance agreement against failure

– Other joints• Annual maintenance agreement + cost to repair

1. Glenshellach Estate - Completed2. Littlecombe – Under development

Case Studies

Glenshellach Estate 1

Client:West Highland Housing Association

Timescale:Phase 2 – June to November 2004Phase 3 - Summer 2006 to date

Total Homes Connected:94 in total for phase 2 & 3

Key Partners:Architect – Campbell & MorrisQuantity Surveyor – Malcolm Mitchie & Partners

Community Heating Scheme, Oban

Project includes fuel feed system,boilerhouse, DH network, HIU’s andsmart card reader

Glenshellach Estate 2

Plan

Glenshellach Estate 3Products Used Steel Aluflex (100% diffusion tight)Insulated Pipe Lengths Steel –12m Flexible – 50m and 100mPipe Connection Steel – Welding Aluflex – Pressure CouplingsPipe Size – Diameter Nominal Bore Steel – 32mm, 40mm and 50mm Aluflex – 26mm 32mm and 40mmSurveillance Steel – Alarm system Flexible – No alarm system

Approx1,000m

Phase 3 – 44 HomesEnergyCentre

Glenshellach Estate 4

Phase 2 – 46 Homes

User Guides

Wood Chip Fuelintroduction Domestic Credit

Module (PPU) User GuideHeating & HW

Glenshellach Estate 5

Littlecombe 1

Littlecombe 2

View overlooking Zone B Ph 1 – Commercial Zone

Temp Boilerhouse

Apr 07

Feb 08

Littlecombe 3 Temp Boiler HouseTemp. G-F boilerhouse

DH Networkfor nextphaseconnections

One MW boiler

Connection toDH Network

Littlecombe 4 Zone B Phase 1

Littlecombe PhasedDH Network

Zone B Ph 1

Temporary BoilerhouseJan 2008

Permanent EC 2009

Temporary Boilerhouse2009

?

?

Tachbrook Triangle - Radio

HIU’s, metering andmetering solution

Summary

Summary1. Sustainable District Heating

a) Energy Centreb) District Heating (+ risers and laterals)c) Customer Interface (HIU’s & metering)Think holistically for a successful project!

2. District Heating Pipeworka) Is the product appropriate for operating conditions (temp

and pressure)?b) Will it give you the best life-cycle? What is the design life?c) Is it a well insulated product?d) Is it diffusion tight (water and oxygen)?Little market knowledge of available products and product

properties! Caveat Emptor!

3. New developmentsConsider impact of Phasing issues on plant sizes and DH

installation.

Vital Energi Utilities LimitedBurnden WorksBurnden Road

BoltonLancashire, BL3 2RB

(T) +44 (0) 1204 554 500 (F) +44 (0) 1204 554 530www.vitalenergi.co.uk

(T) +44 (0) 1252 405276

(m) +44 (0) 7866 496430

(e) mark.howell@vitalenergi.co.uk

Mark Howell – Business Development

Headquarters