A project to invest in new biomass boilers at a number of East Riding schools, funded by East Riding of Yorkshire Council, has reached a milestone, with boilers at the first five schools installed and ready for the start of the heating season.
Over the summer holidays, the existing oil-fired equipment has been removed by the council’s lead contractor Hall Renewables and the plant rooms at Swinemoor Primary School, Beverley, Hedon Primary School, Hutton Cranswick Primary School, Gilberdyke Primary School and Mount Pleasant School, in Market Weighton, remodelled to receive the new boilers and biomass storage equipment at a cost of circa £600,000.
The new systems will provide both space heating and hot water more efficiently and are part of a £2.75 million project to modernise up to twenty schools over the next two years.
The council’s asset strategy service, in association with infrastructure and facilities, commissioned the work as part of the long-term plan to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions whilst also saving money. Part of the cost of the work will be funded by the Renewable Heat Incentive payments generated by the scheme.
After visiting one of the new installations at Swinemoor Primary School, in Beverley, Councillor Symon Fraser, said:
“The installation of biomass boilers represents the next stage in the council’s continued development of low carbon technologies which, in association with energy reduction initiatives, will make a strong contribution towards reducing operating costs and increasing energy security.”
Leon Myers, head teacher of Swinemoor Primary School, said:
“The school is very pleased to be one of the first in the East Riding to have its old oil-fired boiler replaced with a new, low carbon biomass boiler.”
“The local authority, acting as a client, and Hall Construction, as the contractor, have worked very well with the school to minimise any impact on the day-to-day life of the school by undertaking the majority of work during the summer holiday period.”
“The biomass boiler will help the school reduce its carbon footprint and running costs while also heating the school during the winter months ahead.”
Schools which will benefit from the programme are mainly rural and off the gas, network were, in the past, oil was the only available heating source. However, by replacing these boilers with more efficient biomass units, CO2 emissions can be reduced by up to 80 per cent and running costs reduced.
Simon North, group operation’s director at Hall Construction Group Ltd, said:
“We applaud the forward thinking and sustainable insight that the council has demonstrated by commissioning this project and are delighted that our expertise is being employed within our community.
“As well as providing a reliable and sustainable low-carbon solution, biomass also makes sound financial sense as the Government-backed Renewable Heat Incentive will not only fund such installations but will actually provide a healthy return on the investment for 20 years.”
“We are the area’s leading biomass boiler experts and our experience in this field on both domestic and large commercial systems ensures we have the very specific skill set to ensure the complex and highly-efficient plant will perform very well throughout a long working life.”
The project will also improve energy security by removing the reliance upon oil and gas. The council has recently awarded a two-year contract to Forest Fuels Ltd to supply sustainably-sourced biomass to its operations throughout the East Riding. Other schools and academies have already taken advantage of this supply contract.
Rudie Humphrey, operations manager for Forest Fuels, said:
“Forest Fuels is pleased to have been awarded the contract by East Riding of Yorkshire Council to supply sustainably-sourced biomass for these schools.
“With our fuels powering these new systems, the schools will benefit from high-quality heating that is considerably less damaging to the environment and that will provide lower running costs.”
Planning for the second phase of the project is being considered, with the next six identified sites being reviewed so that detailed designs can be drawn up over the coming months.
