DE-CENTRALISED ENERGY PRODUCTION
We produce renewable electricity generated from environmentally benign and sustainable sources of vegetable oils. The plants are located on customers’ sites or stand alone sites where we can take advantage of being embedded into the local electricity networks, rather producing power in large scale power stations, where distribution losses occur as power passes across the cables.
The model is highly flexible, using modular generating units which in operation produce total outputs ranging from 150-6,000KW. The flexibility of the de-centralised model means that generator sets (gensets) as small as 150KW can be located on customers operating sites to produce electricity for the site. Where there is a suitable heat demand we can use the exhaust and engine radiator heat to supply the site with both heat and electricity, this is known as combined heat and power (CHP). CHP is one of the most efficient ways of producing power, both reducing costs and emissions to the atmosphere. This can be proven in the DECC 2010 report, which states;
‘It can be seen that the highest absolute savings in GHG emissions can be achieved by using refined vegetable oil derived from used cooking oil in a CHP unit...’
Each genset has an output of between 150KW and 1MW and comes in a self-contained unit similar in look to an articulated lorry container. Alternatively where existing buildings can be re-used the plants can be fitted into them. Acoustic attenuation to limit noise output, site bunding, emission control and genset cooling are all part of the standard plant design. The genset is linked to its own fuel storage unit which can be built to fit the requirements of the site. This flexibility allows the gensets to be sited on almost any location. All planning and environmental permitting issues are managed by our experienced team of experts.
There are many benefits to installing a CHP system. Primarily, CHP generates both electricity and heat at the same time and delivers them at the point of use. This means that CHP has an efficiency of over 80% compared to conventional supply systems which can be as low as 55%. Transmission and distribution losses are reduced and the system saves energy through efficient use of fuel as there is only one source producing both electricity and heat. Therefore, companies can save on their energy bill by installing a CHP system. REG Biopower’s CHP solution fits small factories/warehouses up to large processing plants.
The energy delivered through a CHP system maximises production efficiency and cuts down on the wastage of centralised power generation. The average electricity usage of this type of solution is 150KW to 2MW but we are happy to explore the possibility of bespoke electricity usage. It is not necessary for potential customers to produce used cooking oil – Living Fuels can provide enough LF100 for all its customers.
