RDES News - RD Energy Solutions

RD Energy Solutions is celebrating another successful year with two of its projects from 2008 being nominated for Green Energy Awards.

“This marks an excellent end to 2008 for RDES and is a welcome reward for all the hard work and effort that the team have put in” commented RDES Director Andrew Lyle.

Nominated for Best Renewable Project was Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary Biomass Boiler. This 1.5MW biomass boiler system includes a 200m3 underground storage facility with fully automated feed mechanism and steam raising boiler. The biomass plant delivers 50% of the total heat demand to the hospital and saves over 2,375 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year. This flagship project is the first biomass boiler to be installed in an NHS hospital in Scotland and has helped pave the way for the further use of biomass boilers in the Scottish Public Sector. The boiler has reduced Dumfries and Galloway NHS carbon footprint by 20% and its maintenance and operation has created 15 sustainable jobs in the local area.

Nominated for Best Community Initiative was Here We Are - Our Power CIC. This is a bio-energy processing centre which produces woodfuel from local forests and delivers this to a number of biomass boilers installed in local industry, leisure services, district heating systems and the HQ of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority. This is the first community owned and operated biomass fuel supply company in the UK. Its creation has empowered the local community and provided environmental, economic and social benefit. It has proved the viability of community owned biomass fuel schemes and is inspirational to other groups who can learn about the role local sustainable energy can play to regenerate their own community.

RD Energy Solutions were appointed as lead consultant for the project, tasked with co-ordinating and managing a multi-disciplinary team of architects, engineers, and contractors. This landmark project is the largest steam biomass boiler installed in NHS Scotland (with approx 2,300 tonnes carbon dioxide offset per annum), and provides the base load heating requirements for the NHS Dumfries Royal Infirmary and will provide significant cost saving to the site.

RD Energy Solutions was approached by an Edinburgh construction company to design, supply and install a renewable energy system at 7 schools across Edinburgh.  We have carried out a full assessment of each site and have signed a contract to supply and install an educational pack on each school, which features a small Rutland turbine (90W) in conjunction with a small PV panel.  The output can be logged, along with weather data, and integrated into a PC within classrooms.

These educational packs provide an excellant introduction into micro renewable energy systems, and hopefully will develop an interest in energy and the environment for all of the students.  

RD Energy Solutions has been awarded a contract for the turn key installation of a Wind/Solar PV renewable energy system at the University of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.  The system is comprised of 6 x Stealthgen 400W micro wind turbines, along with 4kW of solar PV.   Wind turbines typically generate more energy across Winter (during Britain’s windiest period) whereas solar PV is more efficient over Summer, therefore, it is often beneficial to combine the two technologies.  This combined system shall supply a constant supply of green electricity throughout the year.

 The installation phase is commencing next week, with the commissioning of the system at the end of February.

RD Energy solutions has been awarded a 46 Wind Turbine installation for a new build industrial development in Liverpool.  This landmark project is to be one of the largest micro-wind installations in the UK, and our team is very excited to be involved.  RDES has been contracted to deliver a turn-key installation, with work scheduled to commence on site in March 08.

The Tomatin Hydro scheme, a small scale project for a homeowner near Inverness, was officially commissioned on the 11/12/2007. The micro hydro project generates 10kW of green energy, sufficient to power 8 average UK homes. It features a cross flow twin jet Pelton turbine, driving a 4 pole, induction generator. RD Energy Solutions have designed, installed, and commissioned the system, in addition to supplying all of the electro-mechanical components. For further information, please contact Nick Bard.

The construction of the 1.5 MW Biomass boiler has commenced at the Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, with the demolition of the old Incinerator house. RD Energy Solutions has been appointed as chief consultant for the project, to co-ordinate and manage a multi-disciplinary team of architechts, engineers, and builders. This landmark project is to be the largest steam biomass boiler installed in Scotland (with approx 2,300 tonnes CO2 offset p.a.), and shall provide the base load heating requirements for the NHS Dumfries Royal Infirmary.

The demolition works of the old incerator was completed over the last few weeks, with construction of the fuel store for the new boiler commencing in mid-November. Final comissioning of the project scheduled for March 08.

Over the last 12 months, RDES has been working with EAE distribution- a specialist leaflet distribution company in Midlothian, to provide a turnkey installation of a 6kW wind turbine. Our team has been involved in this project right from the pre-feasiblity study phase, assisting to secure grant funding in February this year, and finally the installation of the turbine. On November 14th, the turbine is to be officially commissioned by Jim Mather MSP, Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism.

The turbine is mounted on a 15 metre tower, to give it optimal exposure to wind above the surrounding buildings- as the site is located in a small industrial estate. Power generated from the turbine shall to be utilised on site, with excess exported back to the grid. Based on an estimated mean wind speed of 5.3m/s, the turbine is expected to generate approximately 12,000 kWh pa, equivalent to a savings of approximately £1,200 for the clients electricity bill each year.

RDES would like to thank EAE Distribution for the opportunity to be involved in the project; their enthusiasm for renewables made them a pleasure to work with.