The client

North East Derbyshire District Council (NEDDC)

The challenge

The council was carrying out an extensive refurbishment of Dronfield Leisure Centre, and wanted to replace the combined heating and power (CHP) plant used by the centre. They needed advice on the sustainability and economic viability of a range of options for the future of the plant.

What we did

Hallam Energy conducted an assessment on the CHP plant, producing case studies of a number of options.

The results

The research project found that the current system was undersized. Based on the minimum heat demands of the centre, we recommended a switch to a 90kW CHP plant, which will result in a significant 89 per cent reduction in imported energy costs. We also provided NEDDC with a financial viability assessment, including options that could save them £20,000 a year. It is hoped that the appraisal can be reapplied to other NEDDC centres at Sharley Park and Eckington.