Salisbury District Hospital is using an innovative low-carbon energy generation system to save money, reduce carbon dioxide emissions and ensure patient comfort.
Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust has partnered with cogeneration specialist, ENER-G, to supply a combined heat and power (CHP) and district heating system at the hospital.
This technology is generating the majority of the hospital's heating and low-temperature hot water requirements and a third of its electricity needs. In addition, the district heating scheme is feeding hot water and heating to its spinal treatment centre and day surgery unit, located in separate buildings.
The 850kWe ENER-G CHP system is reducing carbon dioxide emissions while releasing cash savings to the trust of more than £240,000 a year.
Tony McDermott, business development manager for healthcare at ENER-G Combined Power, said: "Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust is demonstrating leadership in reducing carbon and proving that utilising energy-efficient CHP makes financial sense too. By generating low-cost energy, the CHP system will pay for itself within five years. The electricity produced is also exempt from Climate Change Levy carbon taxes, which increases the return on investment.
"The district heating system provides the perfect constant warm temperature required by people recovering from spinal injuries at the specialist treatment centre. The CHP system satisfies normal heat requirements, with the back-up boilers used if there is peak demand."
ENER-G's engineering team created a 520m network of pipes to deliver the heat and low-temperature hot water from the CHP unit to the spinal treatment centre and neighbouring day surgery unit.
Because the CHP system is housed in an energy centre within the main hospital site, ENER-G designed and manufactured a low noise unit (65dba at 1m). Other challenges faced were space restraints within the existing boiler house, combined with a need to carry out speedy installation and commissioning to avoid disruption to hospital patients, staff or visitors.
The system uses an MTU engine and achieved over 95% utilisation in its first 12 months, with availability averaging 97%.
ENER-G is responsible for maintaining and servicing the CHP and district heating system.