Gumma Farm (Presteigne)
Biomass Boiler System Replaces 2 LPG Boilers, Helps Client Save 25% on Fuel Costs & Reduce CO2 By 98%
Background
Gumma Farm is a is a free range poultry poultry farm with 2 broiler sheds, growing 132,000 birds per year. Wye Valley Energy installed a 199kW Lindner & Sommerauer SL Series wood chip system to heat the two free range poultry sheds and a farmhouse.
The Requirement
The driver for the customer was the reduction of the farm's LPG fuel bill and to generate Renewable Heat Incentive payments. A further driver was to supply a better growing environment for the birds by producing dryer heat than the existing LPG heaters, which they hoped would reduce farm input costs.
They also hoped to alleviate the need to spend money on electricity to run the large ventilation units that are required to remove the products of combustion that are typically pumped in poultry sheds heated by open LPG heaters.
The fuel cost savings and RHI payments will be reinvested back into Gumma Farm in order to support the farm's long term growth plans.
Biomass Boiler System
Wye Valley Energy installed the boiler, fuel delivery system and buffer tank in the plantroom as well as the heat main to connect the poultry sheds and farm house. The system replaced internal LPG heater units in the poultry sheds but also the farmhouse’s LPG boiler. We also installed a new hot water and radiator system inside the 2 poultry sheds and carried out the connections into the farm house.
The biomass boiler heating system included:
- 1 x 199kW Lindner & Sommerauer SL series wood chip boiler.
- 4m agitator and 4.7m auger to enable a large fuel store to minimise fills.
- 5,000 litre buffer tank.
- High efficiency system pump.
- 6 new fan radiators in the poultry sheds (3 per shed) and hot water system.
- Runs on wood chips.
- 3 class 2 RHI eligible ultrasonic heat meters complete with certification.
- Heat exchanger fitted into farm house.
- Biomass boiler linked to existing heating and hot water system in the farm house.
- High efficiency, low energy main system pump.
- Full assistance with RHI application including schematic drawings.
- Commissioning, programming and end user training.
Key Outcomes
- Fuel Consumption: 87 tonnes of wood chips, per annum, (based on system of similar capacity, in a similar application).
- Fuel Cost Saving: Wood Chips; 25% versus poultry LPG costs.
- CO2 Saving: Up to 96% or 88 tonnes vs heating oil,(Source; Biomass Energy Centre.)
- RHI Payments: A project of this size would gain an average of £22,409 in RHI payments every year for 20 years, index linked to inflation.
- Total Project Price: £120,000
- Payback Period: 5-6 years (combining RHI income & fuel cost saving).
The Renewable Heat Incentive
As well as fuel cost savings of 20%, the installation is accredited into the Renewable Heat Incentive and RHI payments worth £22,409 are being received.
A project of this size would expect to receive Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Payments of £22,409 or more a year and to gain a fuel cost saving versus oil of 20%-40%.
The fuel cost savings and RHI payments combined will deliver a payback on the capital cost of the equipment in 5-6 years.
The RHI payments and the fuel cost saving ensure that the project is sustainable and financially viable.
(*Financial information not specific to this project – figures are based on an average of several typical projects of this size. Current information on RHI payments for guidance only, not to be considered a guarantee)