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DACHS CHP Units help Bangor Fire Station to enhance its environmental sustainability

Two DACHS mini-CHP (Combined Heat and Power) units have recently been commissioned at Bangor fire station in Northern Ireland by Baxi Technologies UK – part of the Baxi Commercial Heating Division and the Baxi Group company responsible for pioneering mini-CHP applications in the UK. CHP is an extremely efficient way of generating electricity and producing heat simultaneously at the point of use from a single fuel, reducing energy costs and the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere. It therefore offers an economic and environmentally friendly alternative for meeting thermal and electrical demands in a variety of applications and market sectors.

The Government has emphasised the fundamental role that local authorities have to play in reducing carbon dioxide emissions and demand on raw fuels, and so public sector heating specifiers and contractors in the UK are facing increasing pressure to implement alternative heating technologies such as mini-CHP.

Bangor Fire Station in Northern Ireland which comprises of District Offices, a two pump Wholetime /Retained Fire Station and a satellite Ambulance Station, was keen to improve its environmental sustainability in line with Government Policy. Two DACHS units were installed in the existing plant room and are configured to operate for 24 hours a day 365 days of the year. The units are sized to meet the base heat and electricity requirements of the 1956m2 building which provides facilities and equipment for both Fire & Rescue Service and Ambulance staff who operate on various shift patterns.

The DACHS units help to support both the space heating and domestic hot water requirements of the station, with additional boiler plant providing the thermal capacity above the output of the CHP units required during higher demand periods. The large drying room and gear/locker rooms at the fire station are two of the facilities that help support the long running period of each of the DACHS units, which is predicted to be around 7,900 hours per annum.

The physical size of the DACHS and the low noise output meant that the units could be installed within the existing plant room that is situated close to the station’s sleeping accommodation. The two DACHS units were installed by Belfast based contractor Hutton Mechanical & Electrical Services. This was the second DACHS installation the company has been involved with – the first being a Down Lisburn H&SS Trust residential nursing home in Dunmurry.

Wayne Hutton, director of Hutton Mechanical & Electrical Services commented: “As far as Hutton M&E are concerned, as an installation and maintenance company for nearly 25 years, we must make every effort to ensure the equipment we install is manufactured to the highest standards and that technology and future back-up behind the product is beyond reproach and we have happy customers. I can honestly say that the Baxi DACHS CHP unit ticks all the right boxes. It represents a quantum leap forward in CHP design. Everyone needs more now than ever to address their potential energy savings and by doing so will automatically help the environment.”

Baxi Technologies UK has found there is a much wider acceptance of mini-CHP in the public sector than in the commercial arena, and the company has seen a successful uptake of the DACHS mini-CHP unit in a variety of public sector properties – but in particularsheltered housing, extra care schemes and social housing developments. Recent successes also include two community resources, a police station and primary school.

Yan Evans, national sales and marketing manager for Baxi Technologies UK, comments:“As a result of carbon reduction initiatives such as Local Agenda 21 and Kyoto Protocol commitments, there is currently a strong drive for environmental sustainability in public sector properties in the UK. This applies to both new build and refurbishment projects.

There has been a huge shift in attitude towards alternative technologies within the public sector, and there is now recognition that CHP can assist public sector property, energy and facilities managers in meeting emission reduction targets. “A single DACHS operating for approximately 6,000 hours per year can save around 5 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of around a 20% reduction in CO2 when compared to centralised power generation and conventional gas fired boiler plant. With the opportunity for replication of the technology across many applications in the UK, the cumulative carbon dioxide reduction benefits of mini-CHP should be recognised and further supported by
government.

A fleet of only 100 DACHS units in the UK would reduce carbon Cby around 500 tonnes each year. Across the life of this fleet the total annual savings equates to around 7,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. This may not be a huge saving in emissions compared with the UK government’s target but we all have a role to play in protecting our environment for future generations.”

DACHS is the best-selling mini-CHP unit in the UK and European markets. It was developed by Baxi Group company, SenerTec GmbH, European leaders in the use of internal combustion engine technology for CHP applications. There are over 12,000 DACHS units installed within Europe, working as stand-alone heating and electricity generating solutions as well as in tandem with existing and/or new hot water boilers. This makes the DACHS one of the most successful CHP products today.

Email: yan.evans@baxitech.co.uk