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NEWS


Successful Leeds City Council trial highlights potential of biomethane to cut greenhouse gas emissions


owering refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) using biomethane can deliver both greatly reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and cost savings for UK local authorities. These are the findings of a major year long trial of the fuel by Leeds City Council, which received technical advice from Cenex, the UK Centre of Excellence for Low Carbon and Fuel Cell Technologies. The trial findings were released at the UK AD & Biogas 2011 conference and are available for download at www.cenex.co.uk/resources The trial vehicle, a Mercedes-Benz Econic LLG with a spark ignition engine running solely on biomethane gas, is estimated to have achieved a 49 per cent saving in well-to-wheel GHG emissions, compared to the diesel Econics in the council’s fleet. However, this was achieved using a temporary filling station – a more efficient permanent station raises the GHG saving to 64 per cent, with possible 78 per cent savings estimated if gas was generated on-site. Additionally, lower fuel expenditure meant that annual vehicle running costs were estimated to be £2,500 less than a diesel equivalent. While gas vehicles currently cost more to purchase than diesel RCVs, this gap is expected to narrow as production increases. Given this success, Leeds City Council has extended the trial for a further three to five years. With the assistance of the Infrastructure Grants Programme the council has installed a permanent filling station, and hopes to eventually increase the number of gas vehicles within its 1,100 strong fleet.


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Extrapolating the results of this trial across the UK fleet of RCVs demonstrates the potential for biomethane as a fuel. Using gas produced from either landfill sites or purpose built anaerobic digesters would save around 80 per cent of emissions compared to diesel, as well as delivering substantial cost savings, due to factors such as the rising cost of diesel and the falling purchase cost of biomethane vehicles. Leeds City Council began the trial following a review of its total vehicle fleet. This Green Fleet Review showed that while RCVs made up just seven per cent of its fleet, they were responsible for 25 per cent of total fuel use. Following advice from Cenex, biomethane was identified as showing the greatest potential for achieving the necessary savings.


Biomethane is a gas that is around 95 per cent methane. Anaerobic digestion of biological material produces a mixture of gases typically referred to as biogas – the three main sources in the UK are landfill gas, sewage gas and gas produced by purpose built anaerobic digesters fed with farm and municipal food waste. As it is produced from renewable sources, biomethane is considered to have zero net carbon emissions at the point of use. This means it offers much higher potential GHG savings compared to natural gas. The partners in the trial, which ran between May 2009 and July 2010 were Leeds City Council, Cenex (technical advisor), Mercedes-Benz, Dennis Eagle and biomethane supplier Gasrec.


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MOD ANNOUNCES SHORT-LISTED REGIONAL PRIME BIDDERS FOR SCOTLAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND


The MOD has announced the four bidders short-listed for a major new contract to provide up to £500 million of Hard Facilities Management (Hard FM) to the Defence estate across Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Regional Prime Scotland and Northern Ireland is the first of Defence Infrastructure Organisation’s (DIO) four contracts to deliver maintenance and repairs at UK Defence bases from 2013. The shortlisted bidders are: Carillion Enterprise Ltd; Interserve (Defence) Ltd; Babcock Support Services Ltd; and TurnerHenry. www.mod.uk


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BALFOUR BEATTY ENGINEERING SERVICES AWARDED BSF CONTRACTS VALUED AT £10.5M


Balfour Beatty Engineering Services (BBES), one of the UK’s largest mechanical and electrical building services businesses, has been awarded two schools contracts within the Oldham Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, valued at £10.5m.


BBES will design, supply and install mechanical and electrical services to the new- build Oldham Roman Catholic School and the partial rebuild and remodelling of North Chadderton School. Services comprise CHP systems, natural and mechanical ventilation systems, domestic hot and


PUBLIC SECTOR SUSTAINABILITY • VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3


cold water systems, above ground drainage systems, a fully interactive BMS system, modular wiring systems, fire alarm, security and access control systems.


Bespoke multi service modules to suit the buildings steel frame structure have been designed with pre- formed openings to enable M&E services to be routed through. Project teams were involved in early design reviews to enable innovation to be driven out at an early stage of the design, with any


health, safety and environmental issues addressed at design stage. Sustainable aspects to the project include rainwater harvesting systems and an interactive BMS system capable of lighting system zonal control. The schools are also fully energy metered via the BMS, which has the capability to convert consumption to cost and provide out of profile alarms for all systems metered. www.balfourbeatty.com


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