Case study
Dalraddy Holiday Park, Inverness-Shire, Scotland
70 kW Wood Chip Heating Scheme
As part of an overall strategy to increase the use of renewable energy at the Dalraddy Holiday Park, the estate decided to install a woodchip heating system to provide underfloor heating and hot water to the shower, toilet and laundry block.
Fuel supply and wood chip handling
Woodchip is delivered from the estate’s existing woodchip supply business. A 15m³ high-lift tipping trailer drops woodchip directly into the feed hopper. The purpose-built boiler house and feed store has an opening roof, which facilitates loading and keep the scale of the construction to a minimum. Due to the proximity of the woodchip supply, no bulk store is required and refilling occurs when required. Replenishment of the woodchip store occurs fortnightly when the holiday park (which comprises around 1000 beds) is operating at full capacity, and bi-monthly in the low season. Timber for chipping is sourced from both the estate and the open market. It is stored outside for around 12-18 months, before chipping to ensure a moisture content of below 30%.
System design and installation
The system was designed so that 100% of heat and hot water would be provided by biomass fuel. A 2,000 litre accumulator tank was installed to assist with peak heating requirements, to avoid inefficient short cycling of the boiler, and to allow possible expansion of the shower block in future. The existing electrical heating systems were retained as back-up but have not yet been required.
Benefits
This project has produced substantial costs savings. In reducing the annual heating bill by £13,000 per annum, it has cut heating costs by over 85%. The system has also contributed to the estate’s policy of self-sufficiency; it demonstrates the Dalaraddy Holiday Park’s green credentials: to both customers and a wider audience.
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