RDES News - RD Energy Solutions

Due to our expanding workload and some exciting new projects we are now looking for candidates to fill the following roles:-

Senior Renewable Energy Consultant - Experienced consultant with expertise in wind, solar, biomass, energy from waste. ideally with a degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent. Carbon Trust Accreditation would also be a significant benefit.

Senior Wind Energy Consultant - Experienced wind consultant with skills to be able to take medium to larger scale projects from initial feasibility study through detailed planning.

Marketing Manager - Experiences marketing manager with a good knowledge of the renewable energy sector and a demonstrable track record in developing new business leads.

For further information please contact:-

Mr Jan Ponsford - Development Director - jan.ponsford@rdenergysolutions.com or 0131 535 3403

RD Energy Solutions, long known and respected for its work within the field of renewable energy, has expanded its portfolio of services to include the Energy Efficiency field. Having recognizing the vital importance of energy efficiency to improving sustainability, and its interdependence with renewable energy solutions, RDES has put together an expert team to deliver energy efficiency solutions.

The energy efficiency team at RDES is qualified to produce EPCs and experienced with energy monitoring, targeting and management, energy audits and carbon footprinting.

“We can now deliver the complete service that can turn your business into a lean, green, environmentally friendly machine” – Jonathan Webb (Energy Efficiency Manager)

Energy Performance Certificates

BRE qualified to produce commercial EPCs to level 4, the RDES energy Efficiency team has won contracts to deliver EPCs for NHS Lothian, NHS Tayside, NHS Fife, Angus Council, Fife Council, Dundee University, Scottish Prison Service and Carillion. RDES has built up considerable experience in buildings ranging from very large 40,000m² hospital buildings to schools, offices, prisons, retail outlets and warehouses.

Energy Monitoring & Targeting

The RDES team has considerable experience monitoring energy data from renewable sources and is combining this expertise with the ability target energy consumption data creating an energy efficient operation. RDES is using this expertise to help companies such as Scottish & Newcastle, Dobbies and MacKays gain a better understanding of their energy usage. Old meters and inadequate metering prohibit the efficient collection of information and do not provide enough detail to understand where energy is being used. Additionally it is vital to have detailed information on energy usage in order to create an effective energy management programme. This can help to form the basis of real energy savings from energy efficiency initiatives.

RD Energy Solutions can provide the technical expertise and advice for the following:

·         Assess the monitoring, communication and data collection equipment requirements

·         Provide a cost benefit analysis

·         Install any required equipment

·         Monitor and analyse energy use at each site over an agreed period of time.

Energy Management

As a part of a compete energy service the Energy Efficiency team at RDES provide energy management expertise that turns energy monitoring and targeting into an ongoing, effective energy management programme.

Energy Management is a continuous process that is used to accomplish the efficient use of energy in a building or system. The process involves monitoring, analysing and targeting energy use. Energy management is an energy efficiency technique based on the standard management axiom stating that “you cannot manage what you cannot measure”. M&T techniques provide feedback on operating practices, results of energy management projects, and guidance on the level of energy use that is expected in a certain period.

The goal of using M&T to determine the relationship of energy use to key performance indicators (production, weather, etc.) is to help:

·         Identify and explain increases or decreases in energy use

·         Draw energy consumption trends (weekly, seasonal, operational…)

·         Determine future energy use when planning changes in the business

·         Diagnose specific areas of wasted energy

·         Observe how the business reacted to changes in the past

·         Develop performance targets for energy management programs

·         Manage energy consumption, rather than accept it as a fixed cost that they have no control over.

·         Improve energy awareness through all tiers of the business.

In addition to this the energy management service, using detailed energy monitoring, checks energy invoices and provide peak management to reduce energy bills.

The ultimate goal of M&T is to reduce energy costs through improved energy efficiency and energy management control. Other benefits generally include increased resource efficiency, improved budgeting and reduction of GHG emissions.

Energy Audits

An energy audit is an inspection, survey and analysis of energy flows in a building, process, or system with the objective of understanding the energy dynamics of the system under study. For an occupied building reducing energy consumption while maintaining or improving human comfort, health and safety is of primary concern. Beyond simply identifying the sources of energy use, an energy audit seeks to prioritize the energy uses according to the greatest to least cost effective opportunities for energy savings.

RDES team of energy efficiency experts can provide a site energy audit or detailed energy audit that would expand on the monitoring and targeting by collecting more detailed information about facility operation and by performing a more detailed evaluation of energy conservation measures. Using the interval meter data the detailed energy profiles will be analyzed for signs of energy waste. Additional RDES will perform a survey of the building and conduct in-depth interviews and surveys with facility operating personnel to provide a better understanding of major energy consuming systems and to gain insight into short and longer term energy consumption patterns.

This type of audit will be able to identify all energy-conservation measures appropriate for the facility, given its operating parameters. A detailed financial analysis is performed for each measure based on detailed implementation cost estimates; site-specific operating cost savings, and the customer’s investment criteria. Sufficient detail is provided to justify project implementation. These energy conservation measures feed into an Energy Reduction Strategy for Dobbies which will not only provide energy savings but also save money.

Carbon Footprinting

A carbon footprint is “the total set of GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event or product” (UK Carbon Trust 2008). Working out the carbon footprint for a company should be an ongoing process that allows the performance with respect to a company’s emissions to be evaluated over time.

The energy efficiency team at RDES is helping companies to develop a carbon footprinting process and procedure in order to meet the internationally recognised standards for recording, measuring and reporting carbon emissions according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative.

Energy Training

In addition to the above services the energy efficiency team offers energy training. With years of experience in teaching and training the team can building an effective training programme to build energy awareness across a company. Using a practical and visual learning experience gives the employees an excellent understanding of the issues and the knowledge to affect change.

RD Energy Solutions have recently carried out renewable energy consultancy for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde across a number of sites. One of the recomendations being the installation of six wind turbines on the roof of Inverclyde Royal Hospital. This project featured in a recent article in ‘The Herald’ in which NHS (GGC) said iit was “one of the most ambitious NHS energy efficiency drives witnessed in Scotland”

The turbines will be used to create electricity to help run Inverclyde Royal Hospital. The authority said it was drawing up a raft of initiatives to slash its carbon footprint by as much as 25% over the next eight years and is also considering a raft of other measures aimed at cutting energy bills. NHS GGC facilities director Alex McIntyre said: “The hospital site in Greenock is ideally suited for wind turbines given that the hospital is high on a hill exposed to fairly constant wind.

“Every little bit helps when it comes to saving energy and although these turbines will not be able to power the hospital, they will go some way to reducing the amount of electricity we need to buy from the national grid.”

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 submits planning application for a 2 MW wind turbine at AG Barr’s Cumbernauld site.
• RD Energy Solutions have completed a 3-year renewables strategy for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
• RD Energy Solutions has been appointed to assess micro hydro opportunity for the MOD at their training facility in Capel Curig, Wales.
• Royal Alexandra Hospital in Glasgow is to consider a biomass boiler.
• Five micro-wind turbines have been commissioned on a new school in London.
• Lynebank Hospital in Fife is to consider a biomass boiler.
• A hospital in the Western Isles is to consider a biomass boiler.
• RD Energy Solutions is making a presentation at a BEP biomass conference in Glenbervie.
• RD Energy Solutions will be presented at a BEP wind energy conference at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.
• RD Energy Solutions has been commissioned to carry out a micro-wind pilot study for NHS Scotland

New staff profiles:

1. Farah Sattar, Mechanical Engineer – Farah, from Canada, joined us on August 1st having completed her MBA studies here in Britain.
2. Jonathan Webb, EPC Coordinator – As our new Energy Performance Certification service really takes off, Jonathan came to RDES in October to coordinate this new department.
3. Jan Ponsford, Development Director – Jan has many years of valuable experience in project management and has joined us in November to help develop our potential as providers of renewable technologies to a wide range of customers.
4. Stuart Dickson, Electrical Engineer – Stuart not only has excellent engineering qualifications but also several years experience in renewable energy.

RDES are developing a micro hydro scheme for North Lanarkshire Council at Strathclyde Loch near Motherwell. The scheme is a low head site using the drop between the Loch and the River Clyde. The novel archimedes screw turbine will be employed. The system will generate 50 kW and 100% of the power generated will be used on site. RDES have designed the system and are managing the consents process. Planning permission to construct the project was obtained on 29th April 2008.

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.

Skelmonae Wind farm, a four turbine development located in central Aberdeenshire, has been granted planning approval. RDES were contracted to complete the Landscape and Visual section of the Environmental Impact Assessment and this included considerable visualisation work. With 17 other operational or planned wind developments within 30km of the site there was also a significant requirement for cumulative visual assessment. Aberdeenshire Council were satisfied that the likely individual and cumulative visual impacts had been fully assessed and concluded that the area was able to accommodate the development.

As well as undertaking full planning and project management RDES are increasingly being asked to undertake specialist technical works for third party renewable energy developments.

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.

For the past 12 months, RDES have been assisting a farmer in Aberdeenshire whom is interested in investigating wind development opportunities at his property.  The pre-feasibility study yielded favourable results, and it was decided to conduct wind monitoring for a 12 month period. 

After completion of the environmental scoping study and attaining planning approval from council, the 50m wind monitoring mast was installed in November.  Our wind energy team, lead by Ian McLean, are monitoring the wind data and compiling monthly averages and statistics for the client.  After 12 months of monitoring, the tower shall be decomissioned, and a full feasibility on the site’s economic potential shall be undertaken.