Future Energy Opportunities:
A Guide for Distillers
Published by: The Scotch Whisky Association
20 Atholl Crescent
Edinburgh
EH3 8HF
Tel: 0131 222 9200
Email: [email protected]
September 2012
The text of this guide was written by WSP on behalf of the SWA and Carbon Trust.
Introduction
The Scotch Whisky industry plays a
significant role in the Scottish and UK
economies. The aspiration is to stay at
the forefront of the drive to deliver long
term economic, environmental and social
sustainability.
With this publication, the Association is striving to help
Scotland has one of the most ambitious renewable
options and opportunities from established technologies
energy strategies in the world, aiming to produce the
available to distillers both in their distillery and ancillary
equivalent of 100% of electricity needs from renewable
sites, such as packaging facilities and warehousing. It
sources by 2020 with renewables targeted to provide
provides an overview of each available technology, its
11% of Scotland’s heat demand by 2010. The Scotch
technical characteristics, how it works, key conditions,
Whisky industry has set its own, equally tough,
planning, relative costs, feasibility for distilleries, case
environmental targets and by 2020, 20% of the industry’s
studies and real examples. It also offers information
energy should come from non-fossil fuel sources, rising
about technologies, some of which are at the forefront
to 80% by 2050.
of cutting edge innovation. It aims to demystify
make the Scotch whisky industry’s non-fossil fuel target
a reality for smaller and medium sized distilling facilities,
though the principles set out here will be applicable to
companies of all sizes.
This guide offers an introduction to the future energy
technologies and identify the relevance of each type to
The Scotch Whisky industry’s determination to make
the Scotch whisky industry.
these goals a reality is impressive with exceptional
investment going into green energy and other renewable
This report can be used as a stand-alone guide but it
projects at a time of some economic uncertainty.
also complements the online Distillers’ Renewables
Tool which is freely available to all. That tool provides a
Renewables are already a reality for many of the Scotch
specific overview of how each of the technologies works.
Whisky Association’s members. A number of sites
It will allow individual sites to be assessed in terms of
have demonstrated how low and zero carbon energy
energy yield and analyse the commercial business case.
for the sector can be delivered. William Grant & Sons’
anaerobic reactor at their grain and malt distilleries in
The industry’s energy goals are demanding but
Girvan, Ayrshire and Diageo’s anaerobic digester (AD)
companies are on track to meet the challenge. This
and biomass conversion at Cameronbridge Distillery in
publication and the associated tool help our Association
Fife remain the biggest investments in renewables in
members and others in the industry focus their efforts
Scotland outside of the utilities sector. The North British
appropriately.
Distillery in Edinburgh is using AD to fire its boilers and
the collaboration of energy and distillery companies that
form Helius CoRDe (Combination of Rothes Distillers
Ltd) in Morayshire will convert distillery by-product into
7.2 MW of energy – enough to power a town the size
of Elgin. Diageo’s new Roseisle Distillery in Morayshire
uses biomass and AD to provide heat and power to the
distillery and also the heat to adjacent maltings. These
We would like to thank Carbon Trust Scotland for its
financial support in developing this guidance, WSP
Environmental for drafting the report and the following
companies who assisted in the development and testing
of the Distillers’ Renewables Tool: Beam Inc; Chivas
Brothers, Diageo, Edrington, Glenmorangie and Morrison
Bowmore Distillers
commendable projects are all of scale. Significant
developments on a smaller scale on the Isle of Islay are
Paul Wedgewood
underway. The challenge is for more of these smaller
Manager, Carbon Trust Scotland
and medium-sized and distilleries to identify where their
renewables potential lies.
1
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
Julie Hesketh-Laird
Director of Operational and Technical Affairs
Scotch Whisky Association
CONTENTS
Introduction 1
SECTION 01
Natural Resources & Current Distilling Energy Mix
3
SECTION 02
Available Low & Zero Carbon Technologies
6
Wind Power
7
Solar PV
12
Solar Thermal
19
Anaerobic Digestion
23
Biomass Heating
29
Biomass CHP
33
Hydroelectric37
Ground Source Heat Pumps 41
SECTION 03
Alternative Renewable Technologies
45
Wave and Tidal
Hydrogen/Fuel Cells
45
49
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Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
01
Natural Resources and Current
Distilling Energy Mix
When reviewing renewable technologies for a
particular site or region it is important to have
a clear picture of the existing local conditions
starting with the availability and accessibility
of the resources available for energy
generation. Key elements to consider are:
Availability of oil and natural gas or other fossil fuels
Grid connection and capacity
Established renewable installations or district heating
network
Scotland generates over 25% of its energy from
Natural energy resources (sun, wind, draff and other
renewable sources, and with the current level of projects
by-products etc.).
under construction and consented this would provide
around 50% of Scotland’s electricity. Renewable heating
The energy mix in Scotland
has doubled since July 20101.
Power in Scotland is supplied by a combination of large
Scotland has set a challenging target of meeting 100%
base-load plants, including nuclear, coal and gas-fired
of the country’s electricity demand equivalent from
units, hydro generation, both conventional hydro and
renewables by 2020 and 30% overall energy demand,
pumped storage, and a number of other renewable
meaning 11% of heat should come from renewable
sources. The energy mix in Scotland is composed as
sources.
shown below.
Nuclear
20%
Coal
30%
Other
Renewable
17%
Gas & Oil
16%
Hydroelectric
17%
The Electricity Generation
Mix in Scotland, 2010
1 2020 Routemap for Renewable Energy in Scotland, Scottish Government, July 2011
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Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
Overview of energy supply in distilleries
Both heat and power are required in distilleries.
Heat
Gas is used directly for heating and oil typically for process heating, firing the stills or
space heating. Natural gas has been the fuel of choice to raise steam.
Where distilleries are not connected to the gas grid it is normal practice to use heavy or
medium fuel oil to generate steam which is the main source of energy required for the
whisky production process, from malting to distilling.
Usually, space heating demand is low and mainly for site offices and visitor centres.
This can be provided by electric heaters and sometimes heat pumps or off-grid gas/oil
boilers.
Power
Although heat remains the principal type of energy required in distilleries, electricity,
mainly used for lighting, pumps and fans, represents 10-20% of the total energy needs.
Electricity from the national grid is normally used to power distilleries. Some distilleries
are buying their electricity from green energy suppliers where the electricity is typically
generated from renewable sources, such as wind farms.
Natural Resources
Solar Energy
Solar radiation is one of the most versatile and
plentiful sources of renewable energy at our disposal.
In one year each square metre in the UK on average
receives about 950 kWh of solar radiation and the
peak solar irradiation is around 1 kW/m2. This is
approximately 50% of the annual solar radiation
received at the equator which is mainly caused by the
higher latitude and cloud cover.
Scotland is generally cloudier than England, although
some parts of Scotland get an average of over 1,400
hours of sunshine per year. There is a significant potential
for solar technologies in Scotland despite the lower
number of sunshine hours.
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Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
Wind Energy
Tidal
Scotland has some of the best wind resources in the
Due to a large tidal range which is further exacerbated by
world accounting for 25% of Europe’s wind energy
the rugged coastline with narrow sounds, this presents a
potential.
viable consideration for many coastal installations.
At present, 10GW of electricity potential has been
leased offshore in Scotland to exploit the significant
offshore wind potential.
Annual mean wind speed
at 25m above ground level (m/s)
Britain has access to a third of Europe’s wave and
half of Europe’s tidal power resources and the
technology is largely at prototype and proving stage.
As a result of this vast resource, Scotland has
established the European Marine Energy Centre on
Orkney to test various wave and tidal devices and
linking them directly to the National Grid.
Marine
Scotland is a maritime nation with a history linked to the
seas. Scotland’s seas continue to be developed through
the evolution of offshore renewable energy installations
and the exploitation of oil and gas reserves in deeper
water towards the edge of the continental shelf.
Geology
km 25 0
125 km
UK Wind Map: wind speed at 25m about groud levels
Wave
Within Scottish waters, the wave climate is mainly
influenced by conditions in the North Atlantic Ocean,
where the fetch (i.e. distance the wind has blown over) is
long enough to establish large, regular waves known as
swell.
Scotland has a rich diversity of geological formations,
some of which may host useful geothermal resources.
Its geology is quite varied especially considering the
country’s size - around 78,780 Km2. Scotland, with its
highly varied geology, has the potential to exploit ground
source energy as a sustainable and near-zero carbon
source of heat and power.
Geothermal energy and ground source energy are
currently very minor sources of energy globally,
nonetheless, important considerations when selecting
The north and west of Scotland are most exposed
to these conditions. On the east coast of Scotland,
conditions in autumn and winter may also be rough in
the North Sea because the wind direction can lead to
large swells with significant energy.
alternative sources of clean (emission-free) energy.
In this report we have considered, in particular, two forms
of geothermal energy sources that are most appropriate
for the temperature required to heat distilleries and the
location where this source is available in close proximity
to a distillery. These are:
?
Did you know that….“shallow
ground sources of heat such as soils,
ponds, shallow boreholes etc. extracted
using heat pumps could make a very
significant contribution to meeting
targets for renewable heat”.
5
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
Hot sedimentary aquifers (HAS)
Hot dry rocks (HDR).
02
Available Low & Zero Carbon
Technologies
This section highlights a number of low
and zero carbon energy technologies that
can be considered for energy generation in
distilleries. These are:
Wind power
Solar PV
Solar thermal
Anaerobic digestion
Hydropower
Biomass
Biomass CHP
Ground source heat pump
This list includes renewable technologies that have
been widely installed in Scotland and elsewhere in
UK. The technology review identifies how the different
technologies could be applied to distillery processes and
explores their relative costs and technical complexity.
The review also highlights if special skills would be
required locally for some of the technologies or if
conventional skills are sufficient.
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Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
While actual costs for all installations vary, this document
shows costs for each of these technologies, presented in
order to aid comparisons.
Each technology section is divided in the following
subparagraphs:
1. Technical characteristics
2. How it works
3. Key conditions
4.Planning
5. Relative costs
6. Feasibility for distilleries
7. Examples of applications
8. Worked example
Onshore Wind
By the end of 2010 there was just over 3.5GW of wind
than free standing. They are appropriate in certain rural
energy installed in Scotland, with a further 8.9GW
applications but performance in the built environment
in construction, awaiting planning determination, or
is greatly reduced by turbulence and lower wind speed
at pre-application stage. The introduction of Feed-in
caused by surrounding buildings and/or trees.
Tariffs, which guarantees a set index-linked payment
per unit of electricity produced for 20 years, has also
As the wind is variable, the probability that it will not be
seen an increase in small scale turbines and one or two
available at any particular time is high. Wind energy has
large turbines installed on smaller sites or on industrial
a load factor than can vary between 20 and 40% and
locations.
this is compared to the maximum power the turbine can
generate.
Wind technologies can be considered as an option to
generate on-site power for distilleries.
Wind power technology is experiencing considerable
annual growth in both the UK and worldwide with an
1. Technical Characteristics
increase of 75% in electricity generated by wind in the
Wind turbines produce electricity by using the natural
onshore wind energy installed in Scotland, accounts for
power of the wind to drive a generator. Wind turbines
63% of the UK total installed onshore (Renewable UK,
typically have three blades which rotate around a
Statistics).
horizontal hub at the top of a steel tower. Other designs
do exist including 2 blade versions and so called vertical
devices which rotate around the vertical mast – similar to
those seen at the Olympic Park in London.
UK in 2010, at over 73,200kWh per year total operational
2. How they work
Wind passes over the blades exerting a turning force. The
rotating blades turn a shaft inside the nacelle (the housing
Most wind turbines start generating electricity at wind
for all the generating components of the wind turbine),
speeds of around 3-4 metres per second (m/s), generate
connected to a gearbox. The gearbox increases the
maximum ‘rated’ power at around 15 m/s; and shut down
rotational speed and the generator converts the rotational
to prevent storm damage at 25 m/s or above (50mph).
energy into electrical energy.
Turbines range in size and application from micro wind
The power output is converted by a transformer to the
turbines (<50kW) mounted on buildings or boats to large
right voltage for the distribution system, typically between
scale (>1MW) turbines up to 198m high.
11 kV and 132 kV. A wind turbine typically lasts around 20
years. During this time, some parts may need replacing.
Building-mounted wind turbines are considerably smaller
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Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
3. Key Conditions
Existing land uses: The existing uses of the land should
When calculating the output (e.g. electricity generation
the wind energy project can best integrate with these
from the turbine) and the feasibility for wind it is important
existing uses.
be carefully considered to determine whether and how
to take all the factors below into inconsideration.
Ground conditions: The ground conditions at the site
Wind speed: The key factor when considering a wind
should be examined to consider construction of the
development is the average wind speed at the site over
foundations for the wind turbines, the erection of the
a year. For a larger installation it is recommended that
machines and the provision of access roads is practical
wind speed is measured at the site over a year in order
and economic. Features which may not appear on maps,
to get a more accurate indication of the wind resource.
such as fences, walls, streams and pipelines will need
Micro wind applications are extremely site specific and
to be taken into account in the design and layout of the
require a minimum mean wind speed of 5m/s. Generally
project.
an average wind speed of >5m/s is used as a threshold
below which wind turbines are not considered viable.
Grid connection: It is essential to have a suitable grid
connection or the ability to connect to the grid. This is
discussed in more detail later in this report.
4. Planning
Large-scale turbines are generally not permitted to be
located within 500 metres of buildings or residential
properties due to disturbance. Planning is a significant
issue to be considered when developing a wind power
installation; approximately half of planning requests are
refused due to local opposition.
Wind turbines could also impact on radar and radio
frequency and thus additional studies are required to
ensure that the impact of this technology is negligible.
The installation must not be sited on safeguarded land
Location: Wind turbines should ideally be located in
or close to airports and bird reserves. This also depends
exposed areas away from built up areas or obstructions
upon the size of wind turbines; small scale wind turbines
such as trees or buildings. Turbines should ideally be
are unlikely to affect television and radio reception.
located at the highest topographical point available and
not in the lee of hills or other terrain.
Noise, vibration, flicker, safety issues like ice throw and
tower topple are all carefully considered before a turbine
is installed as well as considering land designation.
Site Accessibility: The construction of a wind energy
project requires access by heavy goods vehicles to the
site. Access to the site must be assessed to determine the
suitability of existing public and private roads and what
improvements may be required to serve the development.
There should also be sufficient access to the site to allow
for development and access by maintenance staff. A
study of the local road network will give an idea of the
likely access constraints to the proposed site.
8
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
Did you know that….“a survey
of residents living around Scotland’s
ten existing wind farms found high
levels of acceptance and overwhelming
support for wind power, with support
strongest amongst those who lived
closest to the wind farms. Those who
live closest to wind farms are three
times more likely to say it has a positive
impact on their area than not”.
?
5. Relative costs
To enhance the efficiency of the ground source heat
Wind power is now economically viable with short
about a third of the brewery’s requirements. When the
payback periods as a result of state support schemes
turbine is used to power the compressors that provide
such as the Feed-in Tariff and Renewables Obligations
heating/cooling from the boreholes a highly efficient
Certificates (ROCs).
system is created.
The price of small wind turbines depends on the size
GlaxosmithKline, Montrose – Angus, Scotland
and type of a model. A typical small system (70kW) costs
are £2,500 - £5,000 per kW. The cost of large, megawatt
scale, wind turbines is today about £1,500 per kW
capacity.
6. Feasibility for distilleries
Because of land restriction or other constraints at some
sites, it may not be possible to install on-site turbines and
off-site option might be considered. There are already
proposed sites for developing wind projects in Scotland,
some of these have obtained planning permission and
are under construction. Distillers may wish to consider
investing in such projects.
pump an 11 kW wind turbine was installed to power
GSK is seeking to achieve carbon neutrality at its
pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Montrose. An
initial study to assess various energy efficiency and
renewable energy options was delivered and it was
established that industrial-scale wind turbines would
be the most effective means of generating the required
amount of electricity. Following a detailed assessment
and Environmental Impact Assessment, a planning
application was submitted for a 5MW installed system.
The project:
2 x 2.5 MW wind turbines
Delivers approximately 13,000MWh
134% of the total electricity demand for the site
No distillery site has, to date, opted to install a single wind
Aspiration to be independent of the electricity grid.
turbine, though this is a technically feasible option for
power generation. Visual impacts are a key consideration,
particularly at distillery visitor centres. There are a few
examples of wind turbines installed in small scale industry
applications that are shown in the next section.
A good site for wind….
High wind speed
Close proximity to available grid capacity
7. Examples of Application
Compliance with government guidelines on
Hobson’s Brewery, Shropshire – England
Near motorway: ideal to minimise impact
Sustainability has become an increasingly important part
of brewing processes and green technologies have been
noise limits
relating to construction traffic
Grid connection
introduced to reduce their environmental impact, such as:
the installation of an 18m high wind turbine that provides
a third of the brewery’s electricity requirements; a ground
source heat pump system that chills the cellarage and
heats the offices; and, a rainwater harvesting system
8. Introduction to the example
project
which is then used in flushing and cleaning down
This is an example project for onshore wind installation
ancillary processes.
to generate a percentage of the electricity demand of a
typical small-medium scale distillery.
An innovative solution was created for this brewery. To
simultaneously heat their bottle store and cool the barrel
store a ground source heat pump system was designed
so that the system could recover heat from the cold store
well. Four boreholes were sunk providing a constant
11ºC of water that is then compressed for heat or cooling
or both.
Input Data
It is assumed that the distillery is located in the west of
Scotland which has been deemed feasible with a >7m/s
wind speed.
The site has land available, approximately 2,300m2
Site energy demand is 10.2 GWh per annum, of
which 4% is for electricity.
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Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
Parameters Used
The parameters used to assess this technology are:
4.0%
Electricity
generation
Wind speed on site: 7.1m/s @25m
Type of site: Open agricultural areas
Wind turbines size: Medium scale (330kW)
Number of turbines: 3 turbines
91.9%
Overall energy
generation
How are the wind conditions on your site?
The table below shows the wind potential at your site. Each square represents 1km area around your site. The
wind speed for neighbouring areas has been given in order to show the general wind speed for your region.
10
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
RESULTS
GENERATION POTENTIAL
All figures are estimates. Detailed analysis is needed for the technology to be developed
Estimated pow er generation
Installed capacity
406,440
675
% of on-site electricity consumption
91.9%
% on-site of total energy consumption
4.0%
% contribution to energy target
79.2%
kWh/year
kW
Warning: Investigation into the local grid capacity is required; refer to grid guidance below
GENERAL GUIDANCE
For safety and structural concerns the w ind turbine/s chosen must be at least at 32.5m from nearest building and
500m from domestic building to minimise noise impact.
Minimum turbine distance from buildings
163
m
Minimum land area recommended if more than 1 w ind
turbine is installed
3.28
ha
This analysis show s that 4 w ind turbine/s of the chosen type are required to generate 100% of
electricity dem and.
CO2 EMISSIONS REDUCTION
Annual tCO2e Saved
241.30
% CO2e Reduction
0.01%
Contribution to CO2 emissions reduction target
0.23%
tCO2e/year
COST SAVING
Capital investment
£
Maintenance
£27,000
£/year
FiT Level
£0.206
£/kWh
£116,531
£/year
Total annual revenue
11
£1,350,000
Unlevered IRR
6.2%
Simple payback
16.0
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
years
Solar Photovoltaic
Another alternative to generate power on site is to install
Thin-film amorphous: considerably cheaper but about
solar panels on roofs (warehousing sites offer potential)
half the efficiency of mono-crystalline. Because of its
or on the ground where space is available.
flexibility, this type is best used for integration into
building elements, light weight roofs or irregularly
1. Technical Characteristics
Photovoltaic (PV) systems convert solar radiation into
electricity. PV cells consist of one or two layers of a
semiconductor material, usually silicon. When the sun’s
rays hit the cell, an electric field is generated across the
layers. PV cells do not necessarily require direct sunlight
in order to operate, as they will still work with the diffuse
light of a cloudy day. However, the greater the intensity
of the sunlight hitting the cells, the greater the flow of
electricity.
The three most common cell types used for buildings (all
based on silicon cells) are:
Mono-crystalline: most efficient (15-17%) but highest
cost;
Poly-crystalline: cheaper than mono-crystalline but
slightly less efficient (12-15%);
Example of thin film application
from WSP library
12
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
shaped surfaces.
2. How they work
The majority of PV systems are grid-connected so that
any electricity generated in excess to demand can be
exported to the distribution network. A typical gridconnected system contains:
an array of photovoltaic panels for generation of
direct current (DC);
a power-conditioning unit (PCU), i.e. an inverter, that
converts the DC power to alternating current (AC)
synchronised with the grid and at the correct voltage
and frequency.
The PV system can be connected to the electrical supply
system of the building via the standard building wiring
and the mains switch distribution board, and to the utility
grid via import and export metering.
3. Key Conditions
4. Planning
Tilt and Orientation: In order to maximise the output of PV
The key considerations related to planning are:
panels their position must be optimised. Panels should
always be orientated to the south and at the optimum
angle of between 30-35°. Mounting frames can be used to
achieve the optimum angle if roof pitch is not ideal.
Roof mounted PV: these are generally permitted
under planning conditions.
Large ground mounted installations: they require
planning permission and an environmental impact
Overshadowing: Shading from adjacent elements, both
big or small, is a significant issue for PV installations and
assessment.
Listed buildings: planning permission is required
can greatly reduce output. Overshadowing from nearby
for these buildings and the application might not be
obstructions such as trees or buildings or adjacent panels
successful in some heritage areas.
should be avoided where possible.
Solar cells are inert solid state devices; the systems
Structural concerns: Roofs should be structurally sound
therefore produce virtually no noise and no emissions.
although panel load is negligible compared to standard
The panels do not give rise to any emissions which will
loading calculations; light panels should be considered
impact on air quality. Because there are no adverse
for metal/laminated roofs. In the case of building
environmental impacts, planning considerations tend to
integrated PV the structural integrity of the building may
focus on the physical and visual impacts of solar systems.
have to be assessed by a qualified engineer.
Security should be considered; PV panels are expensive
and should be protected from theft and damage
(especially if located at ground level where the area is not
gated).
Decline in cost of PV installations
13
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
5. Relative Cost
began in 2008. Lots of time was spent in administration
Initial capital costs for PV installations range between
April 2009 and the system was connected to the grid in
£1,800 and £3,600 per kWp installed, although there is
September 2009.
for approval and government grants. Works started in
evidence of a drop in market prices in the past 5 years.
This steady decrease in price of PV modules is due to
The owner considers this a good investment - he signed
the improving financial attractiveness of PV installations.
a 20 year contract with EDF that will buy the electrical
The graph highlights the regular decline in PV pricing
generated from the distillery roof at 60 Eurocent/kWh
as global production capacity has increased to supply
making the investment viable and after one year the
demand.
overall production is higher than the predicted.
Photovoltaic developments receive state support across
PV Solar Farms UK
Europe and are eligible under the Feed-in Tariff system in
The UK solar industry has been and is still going through
the UK which guarantees a set index linked rate per unit
a turbulent time with the short-term outlook still looking
of electricity generated and exported for 25 years. These
uncertain. Despite the climate of uncertainty in 2011,
types of revenue together with the saving on energy bills
WSP worked on two solar farm projects and in early 2012
allows for an attractive return.
started work on a third.
6. Feasibility for distilleries
Two successful examples of ground mounted PV
A building mounted photovoltaic installation can make a
Ebbsfleet solar farms. Size wise, Ebbsfleet solar farm
highly visible statement about a business’ commitment to
(4.9MWp) has been developed in Kent and Durrants solar
sustainability.
farm (4.9MWp) on the Isle of Wight.
The installation can also be interactive with a main display
They were both constructed before the July 31st cut-off
placed at the entrance of the building which displays
date in 2011, just in time to receive the higher tariff from
graphically the levels of electricity generated and carbon
the Feed in Tariff incentives scheme. An additional 500kW
abated per day, month, year, etc.
was then constructed at the Durrants Solar Farm before
installations UK are for example the Durrants and
the October 18th (deadline for another change in the
Roof mounted photovoltaic PV panels are suitable
tariffs).
for development in the distillation industry due to the
presence of large structures and warehouses on site
providing large areas often not shaded and at suitable
angle of inclination. The electricity generated could also
be either used on the site or sold back into the grid.
In case of land availability ground mounted PV can be
also considered.
7. Examples of Application
PV Distillery Roof, Cognac – France
Having considered the economics and the outbuildings
available, photovoltaic panels were the natural choice for
Ebbsfleet Solar Farm, Kent
from WSP Library
this French distillery’s energy project. With a large, south
PV for Retail Shed, Purley Way – UK
facing distillery roof, approximately 465m , and solar
This project involved the construction of two retail units
irradiation adequate for solar power generation it was
on a trading estate in Croydon, South London. The
decided to equip half for this roof with PV panels.
units were required to provide 10% of their energy from
2
The overall cost was 310,000 Euros and grants were
available from regional government (18.5%) and
European funds. The process was relatively long and
14
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
renewables. A photovoltaic system was deemed to be the
simplest and most cost-effective method of achieving this.
A system of 31kWp was installed at a cost of £113,000.
The system is predicted to provide 29MWh per annum.
This should give a payback period of approximately 12
years based on the electricity savings and Feed in Tariff.
The area of PV costs, efficiencies and incentives available
is fast moving and particular consideration is required
of when the system will actually be commissioned to
The site has suitable roof space available of
approximately 2,250m2.
Site energy demand is 500MWh per annum for
electricity; that is about 10% of the total energy
demand.
Parameters Used
consider the financial implications.
The parameters used to assess this technology are:
8. Introduction to the example
project (PV roof mounted)
Roof type: pitched
Orientation: south-east
Roof tilt: 30deg
This is an example project for Solar PV roof-mounted
Panel type: Mono-crystalline
installation.
Shading: very little
Input Data
Assumed that a small distillery located in Southern
Uplands has been deemed feasible due to a solar
irradiance index of 900kWh/m2.
Solar output from Photovoltaics (PV) is directly proportional to panel area. The first step to size a PV system is
select the roofs that are adequately oriented and not shaded.
44.5%
Electricity
generation
15
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
RESULTS
GENERATION POTENTIAL
All figures here are estimates. Detailed analysis is needed for the technology to be developed.
Estimated pow er generation
Installed capacity
% of on-site electricity consumption
% on-site of total energy consumption
% contribution to energy target
222,491
265
kWh/year
kWp
44.5%
4.2%
not applicable
Warning: Data input complete, but please ensure shading and proportion of electricity consumed on site are correct.
GENERAL GUIDANCE
Grid Guidance
Grid Connection is a crucial aspect of any renew able energy installation. Connecting to the grid involves many
considerations including; distance (from grid), cost of connection, securing access to the netw ork from the District
Netw ork Operator (DNO), and the capacity of local grid. There is also guidance that should be follow ed (G83 and
G59). Contact w ith the relevant DNO should be made w hen planning any connection to the grid, particularly w hen
considering larger systems
CO2 EMISSIONS REDUCTION
Annual tCO2e Saved
132.09
% CO2e Reduction
0.01%
Contribution to CO2 emissions reduction target
tCO2e/year
13208.9%
COST SAVING
Capital investment
£
Maintenance
£1,853
£/year
FiT Level
£0.089
£/kWh
Generation Tariff Revenue
£19,802
£/yr
£0
£/year
Value of Electricity saved
£17,799
£/year
Revenue
£35,748
£/year
Export Tariff Revenue
Unlevered IRR
Simple payback
16
£529,412
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
6.5%
13
years
Introduction to the example project (PV ground
mounted)
This is an example project for Solar PV ground mounted
installation.
Input Data
Assumed that a small distillery located in the South
East of Scotland been deemed feasible due to a solar
irradiance index of 903kWh/m2.
The site has suitable land available of approximately
3,000m2.
Site energy demand is 350MWh per annum for
electricity; that is about 8% of the total energy
demand.
17
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
Parameters Used
The parameters used to assess this technology are:
Land area for PV installation
Orientation: south
Panel inclination 35deg
Panel type: poly-crystalline
Shading: none
RESULTS
GENERATION POTENTIAL
All figures here are estimates. Detailed analysis is needed before investing in any technology
Pow er generation
314,309
Installed Capacity
150.0
% of on-site electricity consumption
90%
% of total energy generation
6.6%
No energy target set for the distillery
kWh/year
kWp
132.92%
GENERAL GUIDANCE
Grid Guidance
Grid Connection is a crucial aspect of any renew able energy installation. Connecting to the grid involves many
considerations including; distance (from grid), cost of connection, securing access to the netw ork from the District
Netw ork Operator (DNO), and the capacity of local grid. There is also guidance that should be follow ed (G83 and
G59). Contact w ith the relevant DNO should be made w hen planning any connection to the grid, particularly w hen
considering larger systems
CO2 EMISSIONS REDUCTION
Annual tCO2e Saved
186.60
% CO2e Reduction
0.02%
No carbon target set for the distillery
Not Applicable
COST/SAVINGS
Capital investment
£
Maintenance
£1,050
£/year
FIT level
£0.168
£/kWh
Generation Tariff Revenue
£27,973
£/yr
£0
£/year
Value of Electricity Saved
£25,145
£/year
Revenue
£53,118
£/year
Export Tariff Revenue
Unlevered IRR
Simple payback
18
£285,000
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
20.0%
5.3
years
Solar Thermal
1. Technical Characteristics
water cylinder. Flat plate collectors are mainly used in
Solar thermal collectors comprise of fluid filled panels that
latitudes. Typically these are 3-5m2 collector panel
collect solar energy to heat water. These can be either
installations tilted to face the sun.
domestic properties and are most common in northern
flat plate or evacuated tube. The key element of both
flat plate and evacuated tube collectors is the absorber.
Evacuated tubes: Evacuated tube collectors are
This is the surface, usually flat, on which the solar
generally more efficient than flat plates, although more
radiation falls and which incorporates tubes or channels
expensive as they are more sophisticated devices.
through which the heat transfer fluid can circulate. A dark
coloured, matt surface coating absorbs more radiation
Their increased efficiency results from mounting the
absorber in an evacuated and pressure-proof glass tube,
than light to reduce the emission of thermal radiation.
which reduces conductive and convective losses.
This technology is relatively mature with installations first
occurring in the 1920s, and many installations from the
1970s are still in use today.
They work efficiently at low radiation levels, with high
absorber temperatures and can provide higher output
temperatures than flat plate collectors.
2. How they work
Dedicated solar storage is necessary, as solar energy
Flat plate: Glazed flat plate collectors comprise of a metal
absorber in a rectangular metal frame. The absorber is
made of copper or aluminium and is coated in black to
improve absorption of solar energy and enhance solar
input may not coincide with the actual hot water demand.
For large installations, the system can be designed with
two or more pre-heat and/or storage tanks in series, with
sensors set to measure the return temperature of the
water in the first tank and either re-circulate it through the
transfer. The heat transfer medium (typically water) is
collector or pass it on to the next tank.
contained and circulates in copper tubes, which are
attached to the absorber. The collectors, insulated on
their back and edges and glazed on the upper surface,
supply heated water to an indirect coil located in a hot
SOLAR COLLECTORS
ON ROOF
HOT WATER
TO LOADS
COLD
WATER
Solar Electric
Panel Powering
Circulating Pump
Solar
Preheated
Water
Mixing Valve
Prevents Scalding
Antifreeze to
Solar Collectors
Heated Antifreeze
from Solar Panels
Circulator
SOLAR
STORAGE TANK
AUXILIARY
WATER HEATER
Diagram of solar collectors system linked with hot water tank and/or solar storage tank.
19
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
BOILER
3. Key Conditions
Solar evacuated tubes
Tilt and orientation: Solar thermal collectors are not
overly sensitive to orientation or tilt and can thus be
faced anywhere from south-east to south–west (making
an estimated 50% or more of the current building stock
applicable for development Solar thermal panels are
sensitive to inclination and work effectively from 10 - 60°.
Shading: Panels should ideally not be shaded
throughout the day therefore overshadowing of
development area by trees, chimneys or higher buildings
should be investigated. This can be done with solar
modelling for new builds and site visits for existing.
Allowance for the future growth of nearby trees should be
Solar thermal installations have an attractive payback
also considered.
when offsetting fossil fuel consumption and when there is
a high hot water demand. The Renewable Heat Incentive
Structural concerns: Considerations include allowance
(RHI) is contributing to making these generators of solar
for thermal expansion, differential negative lifting on
hot water more affordable and attractive in order to grow
adjoining components, sufficient (over)lap of roof
the UK solar thermal market.
components, and the ability of the roof structures (i.e.
rafters, purlins, trusses) to withstand the loadings. The
structural integrity of the roof will have to be assessed by
a qualified engineer.
6. Feasibility for distilleries
Whisky distilleries have a great need for hot water
however the temperatures required for the whisky
Location and equipment: Solar thermal collectors
production process are between approximately 60oC
will be linked to a hot water cylinder ideally within a
and 90oC. At these temperatures solar systems are less
close distance in order to reduce heat loss and design
efficient and therefore, although the system can generate
complexity. If the panel is installed on a flat roof a metallic
free thermal energy, there is only partial contribution to
frame can be used to achieve optimum positions. The
the overall energy needed.
build-up of dust on the collector surfaces is another
element to consider: a nominal 5 per cent loss of energy
Further investigations are recommended to establish if
yield is expected in all conditions without cleaning.
this technology can be combined with others in order to
generate energy more efficiently e.g. pre-heating.
This will increase at pitches of less than 20 degrees.
In areas where high build-up is expected i.e. from sea
Another element to consider is the way solar systems
salt, high density traffic or tree sap, the problem will be
work. The energy output is strictly dependent on the roof
exacerbated with collectors set at a low pitch.
space available and most of the time the amount of heat
required is in excess of the potential output from the site
4. Planning
roofs.
In general roof mounted solar thermal applications
Solar panels are nevertheless an ideal option to provide
are looked on favourably by local authority planners,
on-site hot water for offices and visitor centres reducing
therefore in some cases these are regarded as ‘permitted
the dependence on fossil fuel or as contributor to pre-
development’ and deemed not to require formal planning
heating.
permission unless on a listed building or when located in
a conservation area. If the system is considered to be a
significantly large development then issues considered
by the planning authority will include the visual impact,
and a broken roof scape which concerns whether the
height of the system will exceed the roof height.
20
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
Low grade solar hot water probably can’t be used in
any of the distillation processes, but as mentioned
earlier could be intended as pre-heating stage to reduce
the overall energy demand and the dependence on
fossil fuel.
Solar thermal systems can greatly contribute to
energy savings during the production processes in
the beverages sector. For example, for processes
that require temperature below 80oC (bottle washing,
cleaning, etc.) the hot water produced by the solar
collectors can also be used for pre-heating the water
entering the installation’s steam boiler. In this case, the
energy contribution of the solar system is relatively small
both in comparison with the total energy demand, as well
as in absolute figures.
8. Introduction to the example
project
This is an example project for solar thermal collectors,
mounted on south facing roofs.
Input Data
Assumed that a small distillery located in Southern
Uplands has been deemed feasible due to a solar
irradiance index of 900kWh/m2.
7. Examples of Application
The site has suitable roof space available of
Solar Systems Applications in the Dairy Industry
(Greece)
Site energy demand for hot water is 150MWh per
This example is to show the capability of a solar thermal
system, to generate heat for industrial process such as
dairies.
approximately 2,250m2.
annum for natural gas; with an overall consumption
for energy of 12GWh/year.
Parameters Used
The parameters used to assess
Process hot water requirements
Factory operation hours: 24/7
this technology are:
50%
Hot water
generation
Flat roof: 336m2 it is
Hot water consumption: 120-150 m3/day
Temperature of process water:
recommended by the tool
Orientation: south-east
a) Industrial processes: 20-130 C
Panel tilt: 30deg
b) Example washing machine 20-800C
Shading: modest
0
1.2%
Overall energy
generation
Installation Description
The hot water from the closed-loop hydraulic circuit of
the solar collectors heats (via an internal heat exchanger)
the water in two 2,500 litres storage tanks. The hot
water leaving the solar storage tanks is then used for
preheating the water entering the steam boilers.
21
Did you know that....installing
ROOF ORIENTATION
ROOF INCLINATION
Please tick the box (ONE ONLY) corresponding to
the main roof orientation
Please tick the box (ONE ONLY) corresponding to
the angle of tilt of the roof.
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
?
1,300m2 of solar collector can heat more
than 20,000 litres of water at 63.5oC and
save approximately 70,000 litres of gas oil.”
22
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
Anaerobic Digestion
1. Technical Characteristics
used as a fertiliser depending on the original feedstock.
Anaerobic Digestion (AD) involves the creation of biogas
source of such as Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium,
(60% methane) through the breakdown of an organic
& Magnesium. It can have a value >£100/ha for a single
feedstock in the absence of air. The biogas can then be
30m3 application.
At present this is an immature market but as a valuable
combusted in a combined heat and power (CHP) boiler
to create heat and power or through a straight forward
A key driver of the AD industry has been a suite of
gas engine for electrical generation. More recently, biogas
policy instruments. The European Landfill Directive
has been used in fuel cell applications. Alternatively the
1999 requires a 65% reduction in the amount of organic
biogas potentially could be exported into the gas grid.
waste entering landfill by 2020 together with restrictions
on inputs to energy from waste plants and mandatory
AD is a viable option for large producers of organic by-
source separation of waste and aims to reduce carbon
products such as brewing and distilling by-products (e.g.
emissions. Currently a large amount of waste from food
pot ale) and wastes from local councils, water utilities,
processing is being sent to landfill or pumped at an
farms and food producers. AD is well established in
elevated cost per tonne into the sewage system.
Europe and is becoming increasingly popular in the UK.
The by-product of this process is digestate that can be
Resource
Use
Distillers by-products
e.g. pot ale
CHP / electricity
Anaerobic digestion
Biogas
On-site heat
Other (optional) inputs
e.g. manure, local food,
waste
Biogas to grid
Digestate for
fertiliser use
Transport fuel
Anaerobic Digestion
23
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
2. How it works
Anaerobic digestion occurs in an insulated sealed and
other locations which are proving to be a rich vein for AD
heated (37oC – 40oC) container. Before the four-stage
development are within the agricultural community.
process of hydrolysis, acidification, acetogenisis and
methanogenisis. Input material is usually shredded and
Energy Yield/Gas output: In order to gain sufficient
wetted to increase its surface area and to speed up
gas from the digestion process it is necessary to have a
the breakdown process. This feedstock is then broken
feedstock with sufficient organic content to obtain a level
down in the digester. The residence time depends on
of biogas that is economic to extract and to burn.
the feedstock and can be anywhere from 6-60 days. An
energy yield of 10GJ/tonne from organic waste can be
obtained with full utilisation of all gases and residues and
recovery of low and high temperature heat.
3. Key Conditions
Location: The key consideration in assessing the viability
of AD on site is the availability of a regular and sizeable
supply of suitable organic feedstock. In order to produce
biogas sustainably the feedstock should ideally be
produced on site or within a very short distance; long
distance haulage of feedstock is not advised.
AD systems are most suited to sites with a readily
available organic based feedstock, either as a by-product
of manufacturing or from a waste source, such as food
back hauled to depots from supermarkets. In addition,
24
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
It is typical for every kg of COD in effluent to contribute
0.245m3 of methane gas (80%) and the heat potential
value of each kg COD in terms of gas is 2.4kWt per kg
COD. This translates to approximately 1kWe assuming a
conversion efficiency of 40%.
To improve the viability of an on-site AD plant it is
beneficial to have a heat load present as biogas is not
easily fed into the grid. It is more appropriate to combust
on site in a CHP installation. If there is a large flow of
material through the digester an on-site technician may
be required in order to ensure optimum performance.
Noise levels: In an AD plant the main source of high
noise levels is the engine generator set. Actual decibel
(dB) levels produced at an AD facility will differ due to
varying acoustical settings, but a generator set can
produce between 100 – 140 dB (Fenton, 2011). However
this issue can be easily mitigated by supplying noise
For example, pot ale from the distillation process can
protection devices, such as earplugs, to employees and
be converted into methane gas, which could be burned
visitors who are exposed to high noise levels and ensure
to make energy for the distillery. Even the smaller sites
the plant is at an adequate distance from a residential
can sustain such an approach as by-products which
area.
are currently sold (e.g. for animal feeds) may be more
valuable if converted to energy, or sites can import wastes
4. Planning
from other distilleries nearby, or other sources, to make a
project viable.
Development of an AD plant will require planning consent
from the local authority and also consent from the
Whisky has two main by-products: spent cereals and
environmental regulator in most cases. Consideration
pot ale, which could, through AD processes, be used to
needs to be given to the proximity of neighbouring
produce methane or other gasses.
properties as AD plants can often release odour
emissions. However, modern package/containerised
systems have substantially improved this and installations
7. Examples of Application
are now regularly odour free and experience little in the
The North British Distillery
way of complaints.
The Edinburgh-based The North British Distillery
5. Relative costs
AD plants are typically quite capital intensive at a small
scale, with costs ranging from £5-10,000 per kWe installed
for a 10-500kW size scheme. Above this size >500kW we
would expect to see installed capital costs in the region of
£2-3000 per kW.
6. Feasibility for distilleries
The AD industry is more mature on the continent with
Company Ltd embarked on its sustainability project at the
end of 2009. The Gorgie grain distillery, the second largest
in the industry, is a joint venture between Edrington and
Diageo. The key objectives of the project were to reduce
the energy profile of the business and to reduce the
environmental footprint and impact of spirit production.
The project is being managed in a staged manner
and each stage verified on its technical capability and
efficiency of operation before further stages re embarked
upon. Subsequent stages are only progressed where
clear future economic benefits can be realised.
Germany and Denmark having extensive experience in the
field. The technology is just beginning to grow in the UK,
and developing an installation remains a lengthy process.
The North British
Distillery AD
plant under
construction
AD is established in a number of grain distilleries already
in Scotland and the sector has much experience of the
length of time needed to deliver AD installations and
dealing with issues that arise from funding models,
interventions during the planning process by the planning
authorities, Environmental Health Officers, Scottish
Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) etc. as well as
technical and process issues.
Distilleries are well placed to profit from the ability to
generate renewable energy from by-products and
waste streams such as effluents. Sites where substantial
volumes of feedstock are available have the potential for
a dedicated anaerobic digestion plant to create energy
and revenue, though revenue loss from the sale of byproducts should be taken into account in any financial
calculations. Account should also however be taken of
any savings made by avoiding drying and compounding
of by-products in animal feeds plants.
25
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
Stage 1 has involved the installation of an anaerobic
digester to convert evaporator condensate from the
distillers dark grains process, grey water and spent wash
centrate into biogas. A dedicated biogas boiler burns
the gas to produce process steam. Stage two will see
the expansion of the new anaerobic digestion plant and
the installation of a new water treatment plant to process
effluent from the digester. The water treatment plant will
improve effluent quality and provide clean water which
can be recycled back into the process.
The project seeks to produce up to 1MWe of renewable
The AR plant allows the residual organic matter in the
electrical energy, save 1MWe through less intensive
distillery by-products to be converted into biogas by the
energy use of the existing evaporation plant and recycle
presence of microbes. This gas is burned in turbines
40% of the effluent produced by the distillery back into
to produce renewable energy in the form of 25MWh of
the process. Implementation of the project will reduce
heat and 60MWh of electricity per day. This significantly
CO2 emissions by 9,000 tonnes per year.
reduces the site’s reliance on fossil fuels. The scheme
has the added benefit of improving the quality of the
The distillery’s aspiration is to expand its anaerobic
site’s effluent, with the chemical oxygen demand of the
digestion and electrical generation capacity to 3MWe so
site’s effluent discharge being significantly reduced.
that it will be a non-importer of electrical energy.
William Grant & Sons’ multimillion investment in
anaerobic technology and the combined heat and
waste power plant was recognised in May 2010 when it
was highly commended by the Carbon Trust’s Energy
Efficiency in Manufacturing Award.
Diageo’s Roseisle Distillery, Moray, Scotland.
Diageo’s newest malt whisky distillery at Roseisle in
Moray was formally opened in October 2010.
Roseisle was constructed using a combination of
modern environmental technologies and traditional
The anaerobic reactor at
William Grant & Sons, Girvan
distilling techniques. The majority of the by-products are
recycled on-site in a bioenergy facility (AD to convert the
carbohydrates in the distillery by-products into methane
and clean warm water), helping the distillery to generate
most of its own energy and reduce potential CO2
William Grant & Sons, Girvan, Scotland
emissions by approximately 13,000 tonnes (equivalent
William Grant & Sons produce some of the world’s best
to 10,000 family cars) through direct savings on fuel use
known brands of Scotch whisky, including Glenfiddich,
for steam-raising. The distillery is sited next to Diageo’s
The Balvenie range of handcrafted single malts and
existing Burghead maltings, which allows the warm water
Grant’s.
produced in the bioenergy plant to be piped for use at
the maltings, again minimising fossil fuel use and CO2
The family-owned premium spirits company was the first
emissions from raw material transport.
Scotch Whisky producer to generate energy from whisky
by-products at its Girvan site. The site is strategically
important to William Grant & Sons, producing grain
whisky that forms the heart of the popular Grant’s
blended whisky, Ailsa Bay Malt Whisky and Hendrick’s
Gin. It also houses offices, a cooperage and over 40
warehouses.
The ground-breaking energy initiative, commissioned in
2009, produces power in the form of steam and hot water
for use on the 380 acre site and electricity, some of which
is exported to the grid.
The 2009 anaerobic reactor (AR) plant forms part of the
Building the biomass burner at
Roseisle Distillery
company’s five year energy management plan which
includes annual targets for site energy reduction.
The 3,000m² distillery was constructed on time and on
budget, with work starting on site in October 2007 and
26
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
completed in Spring 2009. Diageo worked closely with
its partners for the development of the distillery. AustinSmith: Lord (ASL) were the architects commissioned for
this project. The lead designer and structural engineers
were AECOM and Rok were the main contractors.
The £14 million bioenergy facility was developed in
conjunction with Dalkia.
The plant has been built to the BREEAM standard, which
is recognised as best practice in sustainable design.
Adnams Brewery, England
Adnams Brewery, through a subsidiary Adnams Bio
Energy Limited, has developed an anaerobic digestion
(AD) plant which is the first in the UK to use brewery and
local food waste to produce renewable gas for injection
into the national gas grid as well as providing gas for use
as a vehicle fuel.
Centralised Anaerobic Digestion and Farms and
Distilleries in Denmark
A common model used in Denmark is ‘centralised
anaerobic digestion’ which consists of one large plant
that sources its feedstock from various local sources
within 10km. The feedstock sources range from farm
waste products such as slurry, to waste material from
food processing plants. Operating in a centralised
manner improves the economic performance due to
economies of scale and the regularity and increased
levels of organic feedstock. Distilleries within a local area
could combine their organic by-products (e.g. pot ale)
with liquid waste with livestock and arable farmers.
8. Introduction to the example
project
This is an example project for an AD system for a
Developed in partnership with British Gas and the
National Grid, the facility is designed to inject renewable
gas into the grid and to generate up to 4.8 million
kilowatt-hours per year – enough to heat 235 family
distillery with 500,000litre/year production.
Input Data
Assumed a small distillery located in the one of the
homes for a year or run an average family car for 4 million
Hebrides Islands has land available for an Anaerobic
miles.
Digester
In the future, the facility will produce enough renewable
gas to power the Adnams brewery and run its fleet of
Site energy demand is 20GWh/year of which 700MWh
are for electricity.
lorries, while still leaving up to 60% of the output for
Parameters Used
injection into the National Grid.
The parameters used to assess this technology are:
The Adnams Bio Energy plant consists of three digesters
– sealed vessels in which naturally-occurring bacteria act
without oxygen to break down up to 12,500 tonnes of
organic waste each year. The result is the production of
biomethane as well as liquid organic fertiliser.
Source: http://adnamsbioenergy.co.uk/
27
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
Annual discharge at the distillery: 16,425,000litres/
year
COD (chemical oxygen demand) 3,520mg/litre
Fuel displaced: heavy fuel oil
System selected: CHP
2.9%
Electricity
generation
0.3%
Overall energy
generation
28
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
Biomass Heating
1. Technical Characteristics
3. Key Conditions
Biomass heating systems typically replace either oil or
Storage: Biomass typically takes up significant space,
gas fired boilers. Due to the nature of biomass fuels the
so a site will require a dedicated dry covered area to
boilers tend to be physically larger than those for oil or
maintain sufficient fuel stocks between deliveries.
gas, they require more space and need to be located in a
position that is easily accessible for fuel delivery vehicles.
Delivery: Typically, most sites are only accessible by
road, so access to the site by large articulated lorries is
Biomass can include forestry waste, untreated wood,
essential. Some sites benefit from access to railheads for
energy crops and short rotation coppice (SRC) e.g.
delivery of fuels but these are currently rare. In addition to
willow, miscanthus (elephant grass) etc. and residues
delivery, it is important to consider site transfer.
from food and drink production. To ensure that
the biomass fuel is sustainable and economic it is
In many cases the fuel will need to be transferred within
recommended that biomass is locally sourced from
the facility from a storage area to the boiler system. This
suppliers within a 20/30 mile radius.
maybe in the immediate facility but in some cases storage
and boiler installation areas may be some distance apart
Performance Issues
The performance, efficiency and reliability of biomass
boilers are strongly affected by the choice of fuel. It
should be noted that some appliances may be capable
of burning more than one form of biomass fuel. For
example, reliable wood chip boilers have efficiencies
between 88-90%. Wood pellets are a compact form of
wood, which have low moisture content and high energy
density. Although, these are currently more expensive
than logs and wood chip, they are easier to handle and
are ideal for automated systems.
2. How it works
Biomass refers to organic materials which were produced
recently through the process of photosynthesis and are
still present in unaltered form. Energy contained within
organic material, from straw to wood chip, is released
through combustion generating heat (and electricity if
used in a combined heat and power application).
Biomass boilers are similar to fossil fuel fed boilers and
incorporate timers, thermostats and Building Energy
Management Systems (BEMS) that would be used in an
identical way to fossil fuel based systems.
Despite the good compatibility of this technology, future
availability of biomass fuel is not guaranteed due to
a rapid increase in demand. This can be overcome if
biomass can be grown locally.
depending on site space. Careful consideration needs
to be given to conveying systems, such as screw augers
systems, gravity feed, pneumatic/vacuum feed, as each
approach has a suitability based on the plant scale.
Fuel type: Buildings that currently use wood chip boilers
include blocks of flats, visitors centres, office buildings
and airport terminals. It is very important to ensure that
wood chip boilers are supplied with the appropriate type
of fuel. This will vary between boiler types and sizes.
The two most important variables are particle size and
moisture content. Wood chips that are too large or too
wet for example, can jam the fuel feed system, reduce the
efficiency and reliability of the boiler or cause the control
system to ‘trip out’. (http://www.biomassenergycentre.
org.uk)
The site also needs to be accessible for a delivery lorry.
Wood pellets can be delivered loose and blown into a
hopper, or in bags. You will need space nearby where the
boiler is sited to store the fuel.
4. Planning
Planning permission is usually required for biomass
boiler installations. Exceptions to this normally relate to
the replacement of existing fossil fuel systems with some
types of smaller biomass boiler. If planning permission
is required, the main issues that need to be taken into
account in designing the site and obtaining planning
permission are traffic, emissions to air, noise, visual
impact and compliance with legislation and regulations.
29
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
5. Relative costs
Biomass boilers are covered in the UK Government’s
Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) programme. The RHI
guarantees regular tariff payments for 20 years for heat
generated by renewable means.
6. Feasibility for distilleries
Distilleries produce a significant amount of biomass
by-products which can be used for energy. Wood chip
boilers are most appropriate for medium and large scale
installations. They can be considered for both low grade
heat generation, therefore small scale boiler for space
heating and hot water provision. Alternatively, steam
boilers can be fed with biomass reducing the load of
existing boilers that are generally fuelled with gas oil or
similar fuels.
7. Examples of Application
Biomass Energy Centre, HMP Guys Marsh
Prison, Dorset
HMP Guys Marsh has revolutionised its energy provision
by installing a biomass fuel energy centre which has been
operational for over a year and is demonstrating exciting
benefits for the establishment.
HMP Guys Marsh is located near Shaftesbury in Dorset
and can accommodate up to 578 people. The majority
of the prison campus was heated from a single energy
centre using heavy oil boilers dating from 1977. The
heat was distributed to the building via underground
heat mains. An appraisal was undertaken to evaluate
the technical and economic viability of constructing a
new energy centre compromising of a single wood chip
boiler system to act as the lead boiler with natural gas
boilers providing standby and peaking capacity. A new
pre-insulted heat main was installed to connect into the
existing heat main system.
The design settled on a single 1.2MW wood chip boiler
Diageo’s Cameronbridge Grain Distillery, Fife,
Scotland.
(from Australian supplier, Binder GmbH) with 2 gas boilers
In 2008, Diageo announced plans for a bioenergy plant
is able to operate at 20% of the boiler maximum rated
at its largest grain distillery. The bioenergy facility will
generate renewable energy from ‘spent wash’ – a mixture
of wheat, malted barley, yeast and water - produced
during distillation. The spent wash is separated into
liquid and dried solids. The liquid is then converted, via
anaerobic digestion, into biogas and the dried solids form
a biomass fuel source.
Around 90,000 tonnes of co-products, which would have
required transport off-site by road, will be turned into
bioenergy in the form of electricity and steam for use at
the distillery. The facility will also recover almost a third of
the site’s water requirements.
It will reduce annual CO2 emissions at the site by
approximately 56,000 tonnes - equivalent to taking 44,000
family cars off the road.
It will cut dependence on fossil fuels at the site by 95
per cent. Integrated sustainable technologies - including
anaerobic digestion and biomass conversion are being
deployed at the site and Diageo believes 98 per cent of
the thermal steam and 80 per cent of electrical power
used at the distillery will be provided by the plant.
30
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
each rated at 2400kW of capacity. The biomass boiler
capacity while still offering high efficiency. The load profile
of the site indicated that there was sufficient base load
demand that an accumulator tank would not be required.
A key challenge for the project was the fuel storage and
logistic arrangements for fuel delivery. A below ground
fuel store was discounted due to a high water table which
would have presented technical difficulties and high civil
costs.
The wood fuel solution, therefore, was an above ground
walking floor (5m by 8m) and a fast wood chip distribution
system. This design enables a tipped delivery of wood
chip into a hopper which is then elevated by a fast vertical
auger and distributed evenly onto the walking floor. The
wood chip distribution system is capable of moving
120m³ of wood chip per hour, which means a 60m³ wood
chip delivery can be emptied in half an hour.
Biomass Boiler, Falmer Academy, Brighton
The Academy is adjacent to the South Downs National
Park and to Brighton University and the Brighton Health
and Racquets Club.
8. Introduction to the example
project
This is an example project for biomass boilers to replace
or reduce the energy load of the existing boilers in a
The project includes an Energy Centre which houses the
medium size distillery in Speyside.
main heating, hot water, rainwater and electrical incoming
high voltage equipment that serves the Academy and
Sports Hall facilities.
Heating is provided by a 450kW biomass boiler and all
services are routed through a services tunnel linking the
Energy Centre with the Academy buildings. The plant has
been appropriately sized to deal with the varying use of
the connected buildings and to take account of peak and
base load conditions to minimise energy consumption.
Input Data
The site has available land for development,
approximately 5,000m2.
Site energy demand for heating is 9GWh/year.
Parameters Used
The parameters used to assess this
technology are:
Quantity of draff produced: 750t/
All incoming and outgoing services have been fully
coordinated and the design of the underground woodchip storage bunker has been developed closely with
the local delivery company to ensure that the required
minimum quantity of fuel storage is accommodated.
31
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
40%
Hot water
generation
year
Type of biomass for co-firing:
woodchip
Fuel displaced: gas oil
36.6%
Overall energy
generation
32
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
Biomass CHP
1. Technical Characteristics
a 1- 2 MWe gas turbine internal combustion engine.
Once plant installation is completed, the required
CHP (Combined Heat and Power) is not a renewable
levels of performance and availability, and the
source, unless it is powered by biofuels. CHP systems
associated economic benefits, can only be achieved
offer the potential for considerably improved generation
and optimised if the plant is correctly operated and
efficiency with implicit carbon and cost savings benefits.
maintained.
Generating electricity in a CHP plant is typically only
40% efficient, almost all of the other 60% is dissipated
in the form of heat at the generator before any power
whatsoever is delivered to the distribution system,
such as the national grid, from where further losses are
incurred. Overall, national electricity generation and
distribution is only about 35% efficient.
CHP is effectively a small scale power station with heat
reclamation and minimal distribution losses due to its
3. Key Conditions
For good quality CHP, achieved by utilising all the
useful heat produced, the size of the CHP installation
is determined by the heat base load of the site
(domestic hot water). This also ensures that the CHP
unit is running for as many hours as possible.
Monitoring must be used as a means of evaluating
the most economical way of using the plant, taking
close proximity to the load.
into account its performance and efficiency, its
In contrast to gas fuel, the use of biomass as a heat
sources such as electricity and gas. One typical
source for CHP systems has hitherto been restricted to
scenario arising from this is that, during the overnight
large units (of several megawatts).
period, it may be cheaper to supply electricity from
maintenance costs, and the costs of external energy
external sources and to use back-up heat supply
2. How it works
There are three main technologies available for biomass
CHP:
plant, than to operate the CHP plant.
Staff training could be required to ensure that the
system operates efficiently and correctly.
As the site already contains large boilers, the
1. Grate combustion, which is the traditional approach
for burning solid fuels.
2. Fluidised-bed combustion. Both these approaches
use the heat to produce power from a steam turbine.
maintenance and operational requirements imposed
by a larger unit will have little impact.
Biomass Storage: The on-site biomass storage
facility may need to hold considerable volumes of fuel
3. Gasification where combustible gases are extracted
depending on the CHP unit capacity and rate of use. The
from the biomass source. The extracted gas can
main purpose of the store will be to keep the biomass dry
be used to fuel a range of prime movers including
and protected from rain and groundwater. Typical storage
internal combustion engines.
facilities include bunkers or silos. Ventilation will be
Performance Issues
Large scale (>2 MWe) biomass CHP usually uses
required in order to keep the biomass dry and possibly
to aid further drying. Large stores of biomass will require
regular turning. Drainage should be provided within the
conventional steam turbine generating technologies,
store to allow the removal of water (inadvertent ingress of
however below this size more exotic technology
water and water used for cleaning purposes).
is required to achieve good efficiency. Many
technologies are under active development but
Biomass delivery: The amount of biomass material to be
not mature yet therefore the market for sub 1MW
delivered and the delivery mechanism will depend on the
biomass CHP is not currently commercially mature.
size of the biomass facility. Convenient and safe access
Small scale biomass gasifiers exist that convert
biomass into flammable product gas. Following
suitable clean up and cooling, this can be used to run
33
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
for delivery vehicles is required.
4. Planning
Biomass availability as mentioned in the “key condition”
section is a very important factor for selecting biomass fuel
Economic benefit to fuel suppliers
systems.
Construction impact of the plant and fuel storage area
7. Examples of Application
Visual impact of the plant
Noise from plant operations
Effects of airborne and water borne on health or
ecology
Impacts of increased traffic required to bring biomass
fuels to site and take away by-product including noise,
congestion and impacts on air quality and climate
change
Helius Corde, Speyside, Scotland
In August 2009 a joint venture (JV), Helius CoRDe Ltd,
was formed with the Combination of Rothes Distillers,
comprising of a number of major distillers of Speyside. The
JV was formed to take forward a £50m, 7.2MWe biomass
combined heat and power plant at Rothes that by 2013
will use the by-products of the whisky-making process for
Impacts on Heritage Assets.
energy production.
5. Relative costs
Draff from participating distillers will be burned together
The cost of CHP systems based on wood-fuel is
significantly in excess of that for those systems based on
conventional fossil fuel. The capital cost per kW installed is
detailed in the table.
with woodchips to generate enough electricity to supply
9,000 homes. Excess energy will be sold to the National
Grid. All the draff will be sourced locally.
Biomass Waste CHP, Mid UK Recycling,
Lincolnshire
Energy Output
Conversion Technology
Cost per kW Installed
Woodfuel CHP
Combustion (<500kWe)
£2,000/kW
Woodfuel CHP
Gasification and Pyrolysis
£1,500/kW
Woodfuel CHP
Steam/Gas (Large Scale)
£1,200/kW
Gas CHP
Gas Turbine
£500/kW
Mid-UK Recycling is an independent company which
works with businesses and councils to achieve a genuine
100% landfill diversion.
Input: low-grade life expired “timber” (wood) MDF,
chipboard, plywood, painted wood, laminated wood
etc. as well as clean timber such as old pallets and offcuts from timber manufacture.
Production: 3MW or 20,000MWhr per annum.
Fuel Source: - Over 30,000 tonnes per annum of low-
6. Feasibility for Distilleries
grade life expired “timber” (wood)
ROCS compliant 1.5 ROCS per MW hour
As distilleries produce a significant amount of biomass
by-products and low-grade rejected heat, biomass
fuelled systems should be considered and can be a key
opportunity to address both industrial and domestic heat
use.
Around 7% of district heating in Denmark comes from
biomass-fuelled systems, including straw, wood and
pellets (usually from processed wood waste).
CHP fuelled by biomass, as explained in this chapter, is
viable although it is only tested above 1MW.
Most of the time this is not technology feasible for a
distillery because, if on one hand the heat demand
dominates, the electricity need is considerably lower,
therefore the CHP size is often below 1MW.
Furthermore if there is interest for generating surplus
electricity this system can be considered and the electricity
can be sold to the grid or to a neighbouring site.
34
AvedØre 2 CHP Plant, Denmark
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
One example is the AvedØre 2 CHP plant that came on-line
in 2002. The project claims to be the world’s largest multifuelled CHP unit, able to burn combinations of biomass,
pellets, coal heavy fuel oil and gas. Electric power output
from the plant will meet 20% of power demand in Eastern
Denmark. The plant will also supply 485MWe of electricity
and 570MW of heat to Greater Copenhagen’s district
heating system. This is sufficient to supply district heat to
about 180,000 homes and provide electricity consumption
for 800,000 households.
CHP Biomass Gasifier, University of East Anglia
(UEA), UK
The construction of a Combined Heat and Power (CHP)
biomass gasifier at the University of East Anglia has been
completed. The Biomass used by the plant consists of
woodchips from sustainable forestry in Norfolk. Once it
is fully operational, the gasifier will reduce UEA’s carbon
emissions by over 30%, or more than 8,000 tonnes.
Furthermore, the plant will generate a by-product of 200-
On 13 April 2011, Helius announced financial close for
this project, bringing in additional equity investment
from Rabo Project Equity BV and debt funding from
Lloyds TSB Bank plc and the Royal Bank of Scotland plc,
enabling the project to progress into construction
8. Introduction to the example
project
300 tonnes of biochar per annum, which the Low Carbon
This is an example project for biomass fuelled CHP
Innovation Centre (LCIC), based at the University, will be
system to reduce the on-site energy load for electricity
investigating for use as a carbon sequestration agent.
and steam.
As is appropriate for such a new technology, the
Input Data
gasifier has been undergoing rigorous testing. The first
Assumed distillery is located in Highlands.
commissioning phase was completed in autumn 2010
The site has available land for development,
and since then several modifications and adjustments
have been made. The gasifier is now entering its second
commissioning phase, after which UEA expects the plant
to be fully operational.
When coupled with the savings on gas and electricity
imported to the site, the gasifier’s payback period is
expected to be in the region of four years.
Though gasification processes are historically well known,
the scale and type of the UEA gasifier is new. It is the first
working plant of its kind in the UK and is already attracting
approximately 700m2.
Site energy demand is
7.2GWh/year.
Parameter Used
The parameters used to assess
Quantity of steam generated
by CHP: 80%
Type of biomass: pellets
It is assumed that surplus energy
more renewable energy.
generation is sold to the grid.
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
Hot water
generation
this technology are:
a lot of attention, particularly as the UK requires much
35
80%
89.2%
Overall energy
generation
36
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
Hydroelectric
1. Technical Characteristics
half is turned and deflected back almost through 180º.
Hydroelectric power involves converting flowing water
the bucket and the deflected water falls into a discharge
into electrical energy by allowing it to pass through a
channel below. The Pelton turbine has an excellent part
turbine connected to a generator. Hydroelectric turbines
flow efficiency curve that shows its ability to operate at
are a mature technology however there has been a
high efficiency through a full range of flow rates. This
resurgence in Micro Hydro (<100kW) applications in
makes it an ideal turbine to be used in an installation,
recent years.
which encounters seasonal variation in flow rate.
Hydroelectric installations are highly site specific and
Turgo: The Turgo turbine is similar to the Pelton but the
may include civil works. Once installed civil works and
jet strikes the plane of the runner at an angle (typically
electrical plant can last for several decades. There were
20°) so that the water enters the runner on one side and
over 17 new hydro installations in 2010 in UK (DECC).
exits on the other. Therefore the flow rate is not limited
Nearly all the energy of the water goes into propelling
by the discharged fluid interfering with the incoming jet.
2. How they work
As a consequence, a Turgo turbine can have a smaller
diameter runner than a Pelton for an equivalent power.
When the water flows downhill towards sea level it
releases the stored energy (retained solar energy or from
Cross Flow: The Cross Flow turbine has a drum-like
precipitations) into kinetic energy. Electricity is generated
rotor with a solid disk at each end and gutter-shaped
by passing the flowing water through hydrological
“slats” joining the two disks. A jet of water enters the
turbines.
top of the rotor through the curved blades, emerging on
the far side of the rotor by passing through the blades
Hydro-turbines convert water pressure into mechanical
a second time. The shape of the blades is such that on
shaft power, which can be used to drive an electricity
each passage through the periphery of the rotor the
generator, or other machinery.
water transfers some of its momentum, before falling
away with little residual energy.
The vertical fall of the water, known as the “head”, is
essential for hydropower generation; fast-flowing water
Francis Turbine: The Francis turbine is essentially a
on its own does not contain sufficient energy for useful
modified form of propeller turbine in which water flows
power production except on a very large scale, such as
radially inwards into the runner and is turned to emerge
offshore marine currents. Hence two key quantities are
axially. For medium-head schemes, the runner is most
required: a flow rate of water (volume of water passing
commonly mounted in a spiral casing with internal
per second – m3/s) and a head (maximum available
adjustable guide vanes.
vertical fall in the water from upstream to downstream
Archimedes Screw: The Archimedes Screw is made
level).
up of a helix shaped blade mounted on a central shaft.
Hydro turbines have the benefit of availing of a
Water enters the top of the cylinder or screw and the
predictable energy source that is usually continuously
weight of the water on the screw causes water to
available. Maintenance is limited, no fuel is needed, and
fall to a lower level causing the shaft to rotate in the
systems have a long life of up to 50 years.
process. Archimedes screws are ideal at low head sites
of 1.5m and above, but are limited to a max head of
A short description of the different type of hydro-power
approximately 8m.
technologies’ and applications follows.
The Archimedes screw is one of the most fish-friendly as
Pelton: The Pelton Turbine consists of a wheel with a
series of split buckets set around its rim; a high velocity
jet of water is directed tangentially at the wheel. The
jet hits each bucket and is split in half, so that each
37
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
they can pass through the turbine without interference.
3. Key Conditions/
characteristics
Site Layouts: Hydro installations are highly site
dependent as they require access to a nearby river or
burn. The river or burn has to be nearby and have a head
of at least 3 metres. A detailed assessment to gauge the
flow rate of the river is essential.
The most common layouts of suitable location for
hydropower installation for medium and high-head
schemes are:
Canal-and-penstock layout.
Penstock layout without the use of a canal, applicable
engineering cost. Cost of machinery for high head
schemes is generally lower than for low head schemes
of similar power. Civil works depends on site layout and
might be significant for pipelines, water intake, screens
and channel. The connection cost is set by the local
electricity distribution company.
The introduction of Feed-in-Tariffs has made smallmedium scale hydroelectric installations financially
attractive with a relatively short payback period when
conditions are right.
6. Feasibility in distilleries
Traditionally distilleries have been located in close
where the terrain would make canal construction
proximity to a water source or burn making hydro power
difficult or in an environmentally-sensitive location
a suitable technology for many of these sites.
where the scheme needs to be hidden and a buried
penstock is the only acceptable solution.
Finding the right location is a first and essential step
however other elements can affect the implementation
For low head schemes, there are a number of typical
of this technology as mentioned in this section such as
layouts:
water flow, distance between distillery and water source,
Lade or mill Leat. An old powerhouse or watermill or
traditional distillery can often still have a lade or canal
that was part of the old scheme or that might still be
in use.
A barrage is built and more cost-effective when the
existing lade is sized for a lower flow with a barrage
development, the turbine(s) are constructed as part of
the weir or immediately adjacent to it, so that almost
no approach lade or pipe-work is required.
A final option for the location of new mini-hydro
turbines is on the exit flow from water-treatment
plants or sewage works. This application is growing
in popularity with UK water companies.
availability of the required volume of water, reliability of
the water source and flow rates/volumes plus access to
the grid connection and access for engineering such as
civil works.
7. Examples of applications
Deanston Distillery, Doune, Scotland
Deanston Distillery in Doune, which is part of Burn
Stewart Distillers, combines Scotland’s engineering
heritage with industrial re-invention, showing that
renewable energy and sustainability are not new to the
Scotch Whisky making process.
4. Planning/Environmental
Concerns
Micro hydro schemes require planning permission and
have to obtain a range of environmental licenses which
will depend on the nature of the scheme and turbine
type. Licences may include water abstraction if water is
diverted from stream or river or land drainage consent if
work is carried out in a main channel.
5. Relative costs
Small hydro cost can be splits in four segments:
machinery, civil works, and electrical works and other
38
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
The River Teith at
Deanston
Established in 1966, Deanston Distillery, producer of
Farm scale AD
the hand-crafted Deanston Highland Single Malt Scotch
Credit: Biogen 2012
Whisky, occupies a former cotton mill on the banks of
the River Teith. It has achieved the rare status of being
self-sufficient in electricity, with power generated by the
on-site hydro-energy facility.
The system, driven by the fast running water of the Teith,
was introduced in the 18th Century to drive the world’s
first water-powered spinning frame - an invention by the
mill’s original designer, Richard Arkwright. At 36 ft 6” in
diameter and 11 ft wide, Hercules, one of four colossal
waterwheels powering the mill from 1833, was the largest
waterwheel in Europe and the second largest in the
world.
90kW Farm based Micro-Hydro Scheme, Devon
A farmer based in Dartmoor National Park designed
The wheels were replaced with two turbines in 1937
and developed a 90kW micro-hydro scheme at his site.
which produce a combined output of 400kW.
This involved diverting water from a nearby river 500m
away and building a channel along the side of the valley.
By 1965, changes in the world market for cotton forced
The water then flows down a 100m penstock to a 90kW
the closure of the mill but it was converted for use as a
turbine. The turbine house is built of local wood and is
distillery, reopening nine months later in 1966.
surrounded by two acres of planted woodland. Power
Burn Stewart Distillers bought Deanston in 1990 and
committed to retaining and developing the hydro-energy
capacity of the distillery. The original turbines are still
fully functioning. Modern switchgear equipment was
installed but the original 1937 switchgears remain. They
may be viewed as part of Deanston’s new Visitor Centre
cables connect the site to the mains grid. The scheme
now generates the energy consumption of about 90
homes, and avoids about 220 tonnes per year of CO2.
The hydro site has also become an attraction within local
area, as owners regularly give talks and tours.
the site from 1785 to present day.
8. Introduction to the example
project
The two turbines produce on average 48,000kWh a
This is an example project for Hydropower generation in
week. Depending on production levels, the distillery uses
a medium distillery located near a river.
experience charting the social and industrial history of
10 – 14,000kWh a week with the surplus energy being
exported to the national grid.
Input Data
The site has an annual demand for electricity that is
On average, Deanston delivers 1,300,000kWh pa of
hydro-generated electricity to the national grid every
year. This is enough energy to power 394 homes all
year, based on average usage. The hydro-energy project
about 300MWh/year.
Site is located by a river that has a head of more than
3 metres.
at Deanston Distillery is managed by the Wemyss
Parameters Used
Development Company.
The parameters used to assess this technology are:
Burn Stewart Distillers Limited is a fully integrated Scotch
River characteristics:
whisky producer and brand owner with three single malt
Head – 3.5m
whisky distilleries and a strong portfolio of Scotch whisky
Burn section – 5x5 m2
brands.
River flow rate – 11.3 m3/s
Type of bed river surface: smooth
Capacity factor: excellent
39
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
96.1%
Electricity
generation
4.1%
Overall energy
generation
40
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
Ground Source Heat Pumps
1. Technical Characteristics
Both air–source heat pumps (ASHP) and ground source
heat pumps (GSHP) can be considered for the provision
of space heating in winter and cooling. Ground source
heat pumps provide a more efficient solution since they
use low temperature latent heat, which exists naturally
below ground. ASHP have not been considered for the
study. In the UK, soil temperature below a depth of 5
metres stays at a constant temperature throughout the
year of around 11-12oC; this being the annual mean air
temperature. The soil at this depth is effectively a huge
thermal store: storing heat absorbed from the sun in the
summer and releasing it during the winter. GSHP take
this low temperature energy and concentrate it into more
useful, higher temperature, energy to heat water or air
inside a building.
Types of GSHP loop include:
is increased. Conversely, if the system is undersized
design conditions may not be met and the use of top-up
heating, usually electric heating, will reduce the overall
system efficiency.
Horizontal
The selection of refrigerants is also a key element
Vertical
when sizing the system. A large quantity of low-grade
Spiral or slinky
energy absorbed from the ground is transferred to the
2. How it works
A horizontal closed loop is composed of pipes that run
horizontally in the ground. A long horizontal trench is
dug typically at 1.5-2 metres below ground level and
U-shaped coils are placed horizontally inside the trench.
These are ideal for smaller systems but they require
significant land.
A vertical closed loop field is composed of pipes that run
vertically in the ground. A hole is bored and pipe pairs
joined with a U-shaped cross-connector at the bottom of
the hole creating a loop. Boreholes are typically spaced
5-6 metres apart and drilled to a depth of between
70-120 metres. Vertical loop fields benefit from higher
ground temperatures than trenches, are more efficient
and require less land.
refrigerant. This causes the temperature of the refrigerant
to rise changing it from a liquid to a gaseous state.
3. Key Conditions
Electrical energy supply for the heat pump: The heat
pump uses the evaporation and condensing cycle of
a refrigerant in order to transfer heat from one place to
another. This is just like the operation of a refrigerator
where heat is extracted from inside the fridge and
expelled at higher temperature via the condenser on
the back. A compressor is used to move the refrigerant
around the system and to compress the refrigerant in
order to raise the temperature at which it condenses to
that required in the building. It is the compressor which
consumes the electricity required by the system.
Coefficient of performance: The coefficient of
performance (CoP) is the ratio of the primary energy
Performance issues
(usually electricity) to total heat out. The energy
The first step in the design of a GSHP installation is
too because the compressor power is ultimately turned
the accurate sizing of the heat pump system. This is
particularly important as over-sizing can significantly
increase the installed cost with little operational saving
and means that the period of operation under part load
41
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
transferred out includes most of the primary energy
into heat and collected. For this reason, the CoP of a
refrigeration plant used as a heat pump is one higher
than when it is used for cooling and sometimes called
CoPH to differentiate it.
Typically a ground source heat pump will produce a CoP
The size can vary considerably and is often driven by the
of about 4, i.e. for each 1 kW of electrical energy in; 4kW
space available or the installation cost for the distribution
of useful heat is transferred. Heat pumps are available in
pipes and or the drilling of boreholes.
a range of installed capacities from several kW right up to
several MW (large enough to provide all of the building’s
Because of the temperature of the ground is largely
heat needs).
constant GSHP are a very effective way to provide heat,
however if used for process heating additional energy
Borehole cooling (or heating) is effectively an open loop
input is required by a boiler or the heat pump itself making
system which uses the ground water temperature directly.
this solution less effective.
The ground water is pumped to the surface and used for
7. Examples of applications
heat extraction and/or heat rejection before it is pumped
back into the aquifer via a second (recharge) borehole.
The capacity of the system is limited by the amount of
water that can be extracted and the allowable rise/fall in
temperature of the water before discharge.
A geotechnical survey can be used to ascertain the
thermal conditions at the site, aiding in assessing the
viability of the installation.
4. Planning
The use of boreholes is subject to approval by planners
and the environmental regulator (SEPA), and the feasibility
depends on local geology, the available water yield, and
the presence of other boreholes in the area.
The risk of the underground pipes/boreholes creating
undesirable hydraulic connections between different
water bearing strata is a potential concern. Pollution of
groundwater that might occur from leakage of additive
chemicals used in the system could also be of concern.
5. Relative Costs
For all types of ground collector, setting up costs (design,
equipment mobilisation and commissioning) are a
significant part of the total cost therefore the capital cost
measured in £/m of borehole or £/m of trench will fall as
the collector size increases. Running costs are dependent
on the electricity costs as electricity is still required. These
Gloucestershire Police HQ, England
The design team for the Gloucestershire Police new four
storey 8,500m2 HQ took an innovative approach and
specified a heat pump using ground source energy –
believed to be the largest of its type in the UK - instead of
a conventional boiler and chiller solution.
The use of geothermal energy was seen by the project
team, as an innovative way of reducing long-term carbon
emissions and hence assist in achieving compliance with
Part L of the Building Regulations (England). The energy
taken from the ground represents approximately three
times the energy required by the heat pump compressor,
therefore three quarters of the useful energy can be
considered to be “free and clean”.
The heat pump, capable of delivering a temperature range
of between 7-50oC, is expected to achieve energy savings
for heating and cooling of between 30-40% compared to
conventional air conditioning.
To utilise the ground source energy, 150 boreholes were
drilled to a depth of 98 m. The boreholes were connected
into two separate fields to provide some resilience and
maximise energy storage.
Treated water in a closed loop is circulated down the
boreholes where the energy is exchanged. In the summer,
the energy will be stored and later recovered.
solutions can often play a role as part of the wider solution
To make the most effective use of the temperatures, an
incorporating other renewable technologies.
under floor heating and cooling system was specified for
the ground floor areas.
6. Feasibility for distilleries
Meanwhile, the heat produced by the main IT equipment
In many buildings ground source heat pumps provide an
(approx. 100 kW) is also recovered by the heat pump
efficient solution for heating and cooling. This solution can
system and delivered elsewhere in the building or stored.
be applied to a distillery for example to generate the space
heating and cooling (if required) for the distillery’s office
area, toilets and visitor centres and other facilities. It could
also be used to provide cooling at times of need.
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Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
*
Consider that….Heat pumps have a low maintenance requirement when
compared to a conventional boiler and chiller system therefore considerable savings
on maintenance can be expected over the whole building life cycle with this system.
IKEA Store, Corsico Milan, Italy
A system was installed at the IKEA store in Corsico,
Milan, with the need to provide some 1.4 MWth and
8. Introduction to the example
project
covering thermal energy demand in the range from 40 to
This is an example project for a vertical Ground Source
100%. The closed loop system is expected to save IKEA
Heat Pump system for a distillery in Orkney
over 500 tonnes/year in CO2 emissions. Payback time
was calculated in 7 to 10 years depending on climate
conditions.
Input Data
The site has available land for development,
approximately 2.600m2.
After this period, capital costs will be recovered and only
running costs (maintenance and management) will be
Site energy demand for heating is 5GWh/year.
required.
Parameter Used
Christies Garden Centre, Fochabers, Scotland
The parameter used to assess this technology are:
This example is for a GSHP for a heating and cooling
system.
This system was designed to provide both heating and
cooling to a garden centre, restaurant and shop on the
Moray coast in North East Scotland. It is a horizontal
ground loop extraction installation using a 37kW HGL
heat pump unit.
Some of the ground source pipe work was also run
through the large green houses to enhance system
efficiency. The heat pump also provides cooling to the
restaurant and shop when required.
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Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
Land available for boreholes: 450m2
Fuel displaced: heavy fuel oil
100%
Hot water
generation
2.6%
Overall energy
generation
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Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
03
Alternative Renewable
Technologies
Wave & Tidal
1. Technical Characteristics
Wave and tidal energy generators convert the kinetic
energy stored within waves and tidal flows into
mechanical then electrical energy. Despite the proximity
of the European Marine Energy Centre on Orkney and
several support structures in place to encourage the
sector, there are only a handful of functioning grid linked
installations throughout Scotland.
2. How they work
Waves: Waves are created by the passage of the winds
over the surface of the sea and the energy inherent in the
wave is shown by its height and movement. Wave energy
devices are designed to absorb this energy and convert
it into electricity in as number of ways: for example by
pushing a hinged door, linked to a hydraulic pump, open
and closed. A number of devices are being developed to
convert wave energy into electrical energy. These wave
power devices, depending on type, are located off shore,
tides in each approximate 24-hour period. Tidal energy
systems generate energy from the ebb and flow of tides
using a turbine function in a similar way to wind turbines
except for the density of the medium (water) is denser.
This means that the energy potential of per cubic metre
is higher.
3. Key Conditions/
characteristics
Predictability: the size and time of tides can be
predicted very efficiently. It is possible to predict the
output of a tidal energy device decades in advance.
Location: in order for electricity to be generated,
differences between high and low tides must
consistently reach 16 feet. There are few regions in
the world where this occurs. There are eight main
sites around Britain where tidal power stations could
usefully be built, including the Pentland Firth, Severn,
Dee, Solway and Humber estuaries. Only around 20
sites in the world have been identified as possible
tidal power stations.
Marine conditions: wave and tidal energy are highly
near shore or shore-based. Types include the oscillating
dependent on the local marine conditions. Tidal
water column, hinged contour device, buoyant moored
energy is particularly focussed in areas with a high
device, attenuators and overtopping device.
tidal flow density such as Pentland Firth.
Practicability: although the tidal energy supply
is reliable and plentiful, converting it into useful
electrical power is not easy.
Access to grid: access to the local grid is also a
concern for developing remote marine installations
as developer may have to incur cost of extending
grid to site. Few technologies are suitable for deep
applications therefore all installations need to be near
shore.
Credit: ‘European marine energy centre (EMEC)
There has yet to be a commercially available wave or
tidal technology offered to market as yet. However, some
Tidal: Tidal energy, or tidal power, is a little known and
systems may become deployable within the medium
little used energy source. Yet it is a very old energy
term, in particular for sites located close to an exposed
source, dating back to the middle ages in Europe. Tidal
coastline.
energy is created by the relative motion of the earth,
moon, sun, and the gravitational interactions between
them. Every coastal region has two high and two low
45
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
4. Planning
wave energy devices around European coasts are in
The Crown Estate has possession of the majority of land
element of risk that a collision may occur.
major shipping channels and hence there is always an
off the coast of the UK. They are the key project partner
in developing marine energy installations. It may prove
Conversion and Transmission of Energy: Transmission
that much less visible tidal stream and wave devices
lines are required to transfer the electricity generated to
will encounter fewer objections when going through the
the places it is required. Initially cables are likely to run
planning application process.
on the seabed and, although lying underground may be
possible on particular shorelines, the cost implications
Environmental Impacts: Wave energy devices produce
suggest that overhead lines may be required with the
no gaseous, liquid or solid emissions and hence, in
consequent problems of visual intrusion in areas of
normal operation, wave energy is virtually a non-polluting
high landscape value. On certain shorelines overhead
source. However, the deployment of wave power
transmission lines can have an effect on the mortality of
schemes could have a varied impact on the environment.
certain species, especially large migratory species which
Some of the effects may be beneficial and some
have limited manoeuvrability. Most collisions appear to
potentially adverse.
occur where lines intersect flyways between roosting and
feeding grounds.
Wave energy converters may have a variety of effects
on the wave climate, patterns of vertical mixing, tidal
Visual Effects: In some areas, the water depth required
propagation and residual drift currents.
by the near shore devices might be attained only a few
hundred yards offshore. Such schemes and shoreline
Hydrodynamic Environment: Wave energy converters
devices would have a visual impact. Such schemes
may have a variety of effects on the wave climate,
may be particularly sensitive in areas of designated
patterns of vertical mixing, tidal propagation and residual
coastline and those used for recreational purposes.
drift currents. The most pronounced effect is likely to be
Considerable work is now being done within the UK, by
on the wave regime. A decrease in incident wave energy
the Department of the Environment, local authorities and
could influence the nature of the shore and shallow sub-
voluntary organisations, to examine the issue of coastal
tidal area and the communities of plants and animals
zone management and it may be necessary to plan for
they support.
the future inclusion of wave power in management plans
Noise: Some wave energy devices are likely to be
noisy especially in rough conditions. Noise travels long
developed.
distances underwater and this may have implications
5. Relative costs
for the navigation and communication system of certain
There are challenging technical and logistical problems
animals principally seals and cetaceans. It is thought
unlikely that cetaceans would be affected as much of
the noise likely to be generated is below the threshold
hearing level (frequency) for dolphins.
Device Construction: Other major impacts of wave
energy conversion on the natural environment would
result from the construction and maintenance of devices
and any general associated development.
Navigational Hazards: Wave energy devices may be
potential navigational hazards to shipping as their low
freeboard could result in their being difficult to detect
visually or by radar. Several of the areas proposed for
to be solved and, at this stage of development, it is
not clear that these can be overcome at an acceptable
price. A study was commissioned by DECC and Scottish
Government to provide an assessment of the current
generation cost for wave and tidal generation projects
in the UK. Further information can be found in this
document2. The data in the report suggest a wide range
of costs at present based in the variety of technologies
across the broad categories of wave, tidal range, tidal
stream shallow and deep. It has been estimated that
improving technology and economies of scale will
allow wave generators to produce electricity at a cost
comparable to wind-driven turbines.
2 Cost of and financial support for wave, tidal stream and tidal range generation in the UK. A report for DECC and the Scottish Government, Oct. 2010.
46
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
6. Feasibility for distilleries
turbine to create electricity. The device remained in the
There is still a long way to go in terms of commercial
24 hours a day. As the device was a prototype it was
realisation of both wave and tidal power stations.
removed from service after two years in order to study
Different technologies are at different stages. Tidal
the impact of two years at sea on the device.
water for up to two winters and provided generation
barrage technology is essentially mature whilst tidal
stream technology a bit less mature; nevertheless
The Oyster concept utilises a wide buoyant bottom-
devices are now being refined by world class major
hinged oscillator (or flap) that completely penetrates
companies in the UK and elsewhere. Wave energy is the
the water column from above the surface to the seabed.
least mature, but Scotland appears to be well advanced
The wave forces on the oscillator, and drives hydraulic
in terms of construction and testing at full scale.
pistons that pressurise water and pump it to shore
through pipelines. The onshore hydroelectric plant
7. Examples of Application
converts the hydraulic pressure into electrical power via
Oyster Wave Energy, European Marine Energy
Centre, Orkney
water passes back to the device in a closed loop via a
The Oyster 1 was activated on the 20th November 2009
The Oyster 1 concept design has received £6.2 million
and demonstrated the feasibility of using wave energy to
in funding from SSE and has been deployed at the
pump high pressure water to an onshore hydroelectric
European Marine Energy Centre on Orkney.
Oyster wave energy converter in operation at Orkney
Credit: Aquamarine Power
47
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
a Pelton wheel, which turns an electrical generator. The
second low pressure return pipeline.
Tidal Turbines, Sound of Islay
It was announced in January 2012 that ten tidal turbines,
will be installed on the seabed in the Sound of Islay,
the channel between the islands of Islay and Jura. It
is envisaged that the electricity it will produce – ten
MW – enough to power the whole of Islay, including the
distilleries. The project will use HS1000 tidal turbines
developed by the Norwegian company Hammerfest
Strøm AS, partly-owned owned by Iberdrola.
Seen as one of the world’s most advanced tidal turbine
designs, a prototype device has been generating
electricity in Norway for over 6 years. The company is
currently constructing the first HS1000 device that will go
This wave installation involves a partially submerged
chamber which encloses a column of water called
an “Oscillating Water Column” (OWC). In LIMPET the
chamber is set into the rock face on the shore although
more recent plants have been built with the chamber
incorporated into a breakwater structure in the near
shore environment, such as Mutriku in the Basque
Country in Spain. The rising wave causes the air in
the chamber to compress forcing it through a Wells
turbine. The falling wave draws air back through the
turbine enabling the turbine to generate power in both
compression and decompression cycles of the wave. It
is a feature of the Wells turbine that it continues to rotate
in the same direction, irrespective of the direction of the
into waters off Orkney later this year.
air flow.
Tides to power whisky distilleries from TheIndipendent.
Being a research and test facility the output of this
co.uk – 31 January2012.
plant varies depending upon the equipment under test
Limpet Wave Power Plant, Islay, Scotland
on the Island of Islay off the west coast of Scotland for
LIMPET stands for “Land Installed Marine Powered
Energy Transformer”. It is specifically the name given
to the research and test facility developed on the island
of Islay by Voith Hydro Wavegen; an Inverness based
company.
Voith Hydro Wavegen’s LIMPET facility on Islay
Images courtesy of Voith Hydro Wavegen Limited
48
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
however it has continued to provide electricity to the grid
over ten years. This is an example of how this technology
can be used to meet small-scale local needs. Since wave
energy is a linear front it is clear that scaling up to larger
capacity power plants lies not in large capacity units but
in installing many small ones, such as these, along the
incoming wavefront.
Mutriku Power Plant in the Basque Country utilising Voith
Hydro Wavegen’s technology
Hydrogen/Fuel Cells
1. Technical Characteristics
Fuel cells require access to a plentiful supply of natural
Using an electrochemical process discovered more than
create hydrogen if there is electricity generated on site.
150 years ago, fuel cells began supplying electric power
Producing hydrogen using clean, renewable electrical
for spacecraft in the 1960s. Fuel cells convert chemical
sources such as wind or tidal is also a way of storing that
energy into electrical energy through electromechanical
energy for later use or to use when the renewable source
reaction, just like a battery; the only difference is that the
isn’t available.
gas, biogas, or hydrogen. An electrolyser can be used to
fuel is supplied from outside; thereby making the fuel cell
feel like an engine converting fuel into electricity without
Electrolysis is a method of injecting direct electric current
burning it.
(DC) into H20 to drive an otherwise non-spontaneous
chemical reaction that results in the release of hydrogen.
2. How they work
An electrical potential is applied to the metal plates of
4. Planning
the fuel cell to begin splitting water molecules. Electrons
There is currently no transparency around the criteria
are stripped from the H2O molecules on the cathode
that applies to this technology and still a lack of clarity in
side and are pumped to the anode plate. This leaves a
positive charge on the cathode and creates a negative
charge on the anode. Protons (hydrogen) are attracted to
the negative charge and repelled by the positive charge
forcing them to diffuse through the proton exchange
membrane to the anode. Lower energy hydrogen bonds
the policy. The main key challenges are around:
Hydrogen production, including the availability of
green hydrogen (from organic material or other
renewable resource)
Underdeveloped hydrogen infrastructure
are formed on the anode side and oxygen bonds are
Storage
formed on the cathode side. Energy is now stored in a
Delivery
gas form and can be released in the reverse process. A
motor connected between the anode and cathode will
provide a path for the electrons to return to the cathode,
energy will be released in the form of mechanical torque
from the motor.
3. Key Conditions/
characteristics
Fuel cells are used in a range of applications from
stationary electricity generators for back-up power, but
are most commonly used in combined heat and power
production in order to utilise the heat generated by the
5. Relative costs
Site-specific economic analysis is critical for evaluating
if a particular site is suitable for installation of a fuel
cell system. Key factors include grid electricity costs,
delivered fuel costs (typically natural gas), site load
profiles, and availability of financial incentives. Two of the
most important drivers for economic viability are:
1) the premium placed on backup and reliable power for
a given facility, and
2) the spread in cost between natural gas provided to a
fuel cell. Fuel cells have been used successfully in a wide
facility and the cost of electricity purchased from the
range of applications including space craft, submarines,
grid, otherwise known as the “spark spread”.
boats, domestic and business premises (providing heat
as well as power) and of course in cars and small vans.
For locations with relatively low natural gas costs and
relatively high electricity costs, fuel cell systems will have
There are a number of possible combinations of fuel and
a faster payback period and may provide a substantial
oxidant available but perhaps the most familiar is the
additional revenue stream when net metering applies.
hydrogen fuel cell that uses hydrogen as the fuel and
oxygen (from air) as the oxidant.
49
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
6. Feasibility for distilleries
The fuel cell market has growing steadily worldwide with
shipments growing by 132% from 2007 to 2010. The
global fuel cell market is currently worth £400 million and
will grow to £950 million by 2016.
Uptake of fuel cell CHP within the UK is increasing
rapidly. Projects such as the Transport for London
emergency response centre at the Palestra building
selected fuel cell CHP on commercial merit, and other
commercial buildings have selected fuel cell CHP in
preference to solar PV arrays as the most cost effective
option for meeting on-site power generation and carbon
reduction targets.
This is a technology that can be feasible for distilleries in
generating power and heat in a very efficient and “clean”
manner, this should be considered in the near future
where some of issues related to hydrogen availability,
delivery and storage will be resolved.
7. Examples of Application
Fuel Cells, Gussing, 100% Renewable Energy
Development Austria.
Transport for London (TfL) Palestra Building,
London, UK
The 200KWe fuel cell, supplied by Logan Energy, is part
of a £2.4m combined heat and power (CHP) plant at the
Palestra building in Southwark.
The hydrogen fuel cell, funded by the £25m TfL climate
change fund, will provide electricity, heat and cooling to
the London building. The building’s hot water supply will
also be heated by the fuel cell. At times of peak energy
use, the building will generate a quarter of its own power,
rising to 100% off-peak. The waste heat from power
generation will be pumped into a unit on the roof which
will work to keep the building cool and supplement the
building’s six electric chillers.
The project is part of efforts by TfL and the London
Development Agency (LDA) to cut carbon emissions
from head office buildings and cut £400,000 off its energy
bills.
TfL commissioned the project in 2008. As of midMarch 2010, the system had been operational for 5,860
hours and delivered 969MWhrs of electrical energy.
The building is shared by 2,800 TfL and LDA staff. Tfl
estimates the fuel cell and power plant will cut carbon
The town of Güssing in Austria selected ClearEdge
emissions by up to 30% and generate £90,000 cost
to assist in meeting its target of producing 50 MW of
savings per year.
clean distributed energy generation from fuel cells in
the Republic of Austria by 2020. The agreement will see
Güssing sell, install and service the fuel cells with 8.5 MW
to be installed in the next three years with a further 41.5
MW installed by 2020.
Headquartered in the Austrian town of Güssing,
Güssing Renewable Energy offers instantly usable
carbon-neutral solutions that help communities produce
clean, reliable energy. These solutions include proven
anaerobic technology that can convert organic mass
into high-purity biogas that can be used to cleanly and
cost-effectively generate electric power and heat in fuel
cells like the ClearEdge systems. Under the agreement
with ClearEdge Power, Güssing Renewable Energy has
agreed to sell, install and service ClearEdge systems in
Austria and also has the opportunity to foster adoption
within Western European markets. The agreement is
designed to support the installation of 8.5 MW of fuel cell
systems in Austria over the next 36 months, which will
then rise to 50 MW by 2020.
Source: http://www.shfca.org.uk/news_article/268/
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Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
Source: http://www.heatingandventilating.net/news/
news.asp?id=7178&title=UK’s+biggest+hydrogen+fu
el+cell+sited+at+TfL+HQ
Beyond Traditional Renewables
Innovative options to be considered in planning a future
and turbine induced motion, enabling wind turbines
energy supply strategy for the distilleries manufacturing
to be sited in previously inaccessible locations where
sector are discussed below.
water depth exceeds 50m and wind resources are
superior. Further, economic efficiency is maximized by
1. Innovative energy
solutions: examples from
distilleries
Algae and biofuel from draff (prototype)
reducing the need for offshore heavy lift operations
during final assembly deployment and commissioning.
Multiple projects are in development for the installation
of commercial Wind float units in both European and US
offshore wind farms.
Scottish Bioenergy Ventures has successfully completed
Solar Cogen/PV syst
the first phase of a trial at one of Scotland’s oldest
Traditional solar photovoltaic (PV) systems convert
working distilleries in which algae converts carbon
approximately 15% of the sun’s energy into usable
dioxide into biofuels. Phase one of the trials involved an
electricity, discarding the remaining energy as waste,
innovate process of capturing CO2 from the distillery’s
mostly in the form of heat. Solar cogeneration captures
boiler exhaust and percolating the gas through algae
this waste heat and transforms it into real value — hot
reactors, converting it into oils and protein which can
water. This cogenerative solution not only generates
be used as fuel for the distillery. The algae reactors
further savings, it also cools the PV components,
also successfully eliminated chemicals and captured
enhancing their efficiency and boosting the system’s
copper from the wastewater, reducing even further
electricity generation and lifetime.
the environmental impact of the distilling process and
reducing costs.
Cogenra Solar captures up to 75% of the sun’s delivered
energy and converts it into both electricity and hot water
Biofuel using pot ale and draff
within a single solar array. This approach yields five times
Using samples of by-product from distilleries,
the energy of traditional PV systems. To achieve these
researchers at Edinburgh Napier University are
developing a method of producing biofuel from two main
by-products of the whisky distilling process. The new
method aims to produce biobutanol, which gives 30%
more power output than the traditional biofuel ethanol.
The team has adapted this to use whisky by-products
efficiency gains, Cogenra integrates advanced silicon PV
cells, concentrating optics with single-axis tracking and
an innovative thermal transfer system in a low-cost and
scalable design.
The Gravity Head Energy System (GHES)
and has filed for a patent to cover the new method. It
The GHES, as shown in the following sketch, is a unique
has created a spin-out company to commercialise the
application of the traditional Organic Rankine Cycle
invention.
(ORC) currently used in conventional industry standard
binary cycle geothermal power plants today. GHES is
2. Innovative energy
solutions: examples from the
world
an innovative technology designed by GeoTek Energy
WindFloat
versus the traditional central power plant concept.
WindFloat is a floating support structure for offshore wind
turbines with a simple, economic and patented design.
The innovative features of the WindFloat dampen wave
51
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
resulting in improved plant efficiency and a significant
reduction in environmental impact. It also contributes
in elimination of costly geothermal brine field gathering
system and a simplified wellhead based power plant
Other Energy Infrastructure considerations
1. Energy Transmission &
Distribution
The electricity transmission network in Scotland is
currently undergoing significant reinforcement work
and upgrades. The system was designed for a different
era with concentrated centralised energy generation.
With the increasing amount of renewable energy being
developed in Scotland the need to upgrade and reinforce
the networks is paramount.
In Scotland the transmission system owners are investing
As part of your study you will need to ensure the
following issues are covered:
Distance to nearest connection point e.g. an existing
substation.
The current network capacity. Most local or remote
area systems are 11kv or 33kv and designed for
distribution rather than transmissions.
The current status of on-site transformers. Are these
able to deal with the proposed generation capacity
from DC/AC conversion?
Planning issues could be onerous depending on the
heavily in the necessary reinforcements required. In
options considered for connection. Above ground
addition, the Scottish Government, together with Ofgem
will be cheaper but may not be allowed, below
is working to change the charging system current in
ground could be a permitted development but will be
place for transmission, where Scotland faces some of
expensive and more time consuming.
the highest costs in the UK but at the same time, has the
greatest renewable energy resource to be exploited.
One of the key steps in any development will be to
understand the grid capacity at site and to understand
the issues that may arise with any renewable energy
technology you might wish to connect to the grid.
Key things to consider for all developments:
You will need to have a grid capacity study
completed. This can be delivered for you by
consultants with expertise in this area, or through the
Distribution Network Operator.
52
Future Energy Opportunities: A Guide for Distillers
All grid connections need to be negotiated with the
local DNO and dialogue should be had at the earliest
stage. This will also need to think about DNOs future
plans and when you can get connected. Timing of the
connection will have a serious impact on the timing of
your development.
Registered Office of the Association
20 Atholl Crescent Edinburgh EH3 8HF
t: 0131 222 9200 f: 0131 222 9237
e: [email protected]
w: www.scotch-whisky.org.uk
London Office
14 Cork Street, London W1S 3NS
t: 020 7629 4384 f: 020 7493 1398
e: [email protected]