The owner decided to install a woodchip system to reduce the estate's dependence on oil and to significantly reduce annual heating costs. Additionally the owner wanted to make better use of the estate's extensive woodland resources as well as reducing the estate's carbon footprint.

Fuel supply and chip handling

A new energy centre of approximately 40m × 10m was built near to the existing house. This included a boiler room and a fuel reception area from where woodchip is transferred by a 4m diameter agitator and fuel transfer auger.

The bulk fuel store and fuel reception area are sufficiently large to store over 100 tonnes of woodchip at any one time. Woodchip is transferred periodically from the bulk store to the fuel reception area by tractor and front loader.

Fuel is sourced from the Estates 700 acres+ of woodland, largely from low value wood that would have been burnt or unused before. This is stacked up outside the fuel store where it is seasoned to below 30% moisture content. This is then chipped directly into the fuel store by a local contractor.

System design and installation

The system was designed to provide all of the hot water and heating requirements of the House and pool. Two oil fired boilers were installed as backup. A 5,000 litre Akvaterm heat store was installed to assist with peak heat demand and to avoid inefficiencies arising from the short cycling of the boiler.

Dunster designed and installed all the main plant, together with pumps, wiring and controls.

Benefits

The system is on target to deliver fuel cost savings of £15,000 per annum and it has enabled the use of underutilised forestry by-products on the estate. The installation has reduced the estate's reliance on fossil fuels and has reduced CO₂ emmissions by around 114 tonnes each year.

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