COMBINED HEAT AND POWER


precisely where the CHP output has an immediate application – about 80 per cent of the value of the fuel. While traditional diesel engines require users to check oil and coolant every week, microturbines only require the air filter to be replaced annually, with a standard engine overhaul about five years after commissioning.


There are multiple factors when it comes to determining whether a microturbine CHP plant is worth the investment, and, with them, some misconceptions. Many prospective customers are not familiar with microturbine technologies, and so they assume that they are a complicated solution to implement or maintain. To remedy this, manufacturers offer training courses to educate these customers, while others offer aftermarket service and protection plans so that the customer does not need to know how to service the equipment. That said, it remains important for healthcare organisations to understand their electrical and thermal loads, and any seasonal effects on those loads. Correctly sizing microturbine equipment based on the load is imperative, as oversizing can lead to a longer payback period. Fortunately, microturbines are scalable, allowing for accurate sizing, as well as the ability to add additional microturbines as the need arises. Furthermore,


microturbines come as a complete system and conform to grid interconnect standards, reducing ancillary equipment costs and simplifying permitting. Since its initial development in the 1990s, and spurred on by increasing energy prices and air quality concerns, the market for CHP has grown tremendously. As governments move to increase energy efficiency programmes and encourage


distributed generation, private entities look to reduce their operating costs and carbon footprint. Microturbine CHP continues to help organisations meet their energy efficiency goals by providing them with a clean, efficient, energy system.


In the field


Microturbines have been helping healthcare organisations to achieve their sustainability goals for years; let us look at a few examples of microturbine CHP installations currently in the field. In 2006, five 60 kW Capstone microturbines were commissioned at a university medical facility in Portland, Oregon. The microturbine CHP plant has since made the Oregon Health & Science University facility 49 per cent more energy-efficient than the state code requires, and reduced annual carbon emissions by 630 tons. The microturbines help the facility to eliminate nearly two- thirds of the power loss incurred when transporting electricity from a distant utility power plant.


In 2015, meanwhile, eight 65 kW Capstone microturbines were installed at a medical centre serving US veterans in Syracuse, New York. The microturbine CHP plant at the site reduces energy consumption and improves overall efficiency and reliability for the Veterans’ Administration Medical Center. The microturbines operate in parallel with the grid, and produce a portion of the centre’s electricity, as well as hot water. The plant provides the customer with a solid economic return, while reducing the facility’s impact on the environment.


Eastern European installations In 2016, three 65 kW Capstone microturbines were commissioned at a


cardiac center in Minsk, Belarus. The CHP plant supplies electricity, space heating, and hot water for the Ministry of Health’s Scientific and Practical Center for Cardiology. The microturbines operate in parallel with the grid, and cover 60 per cent of the centre’s power demand, including its intensive care and surgical units. In instances of utility power loss, the microturbines switch on automatically, and run continuously during electrical outages.


At another medical facility in Eastern Europe, two Capstone C200 microturbine power generating systems were installed at the Novo mesto General Hospital, a regional hospital in Slovenia that provides a range of inpatient and outpatient services to around 132,000 inhabitants of Novo Mesto, Črnomelj, Metlika, Komunala, and part of the Krk municipality, as well as providing services to part of the Brežice and Sevnica municipality.


Installed in 2014, the two C200 microturbiunes are located on the hospital’s rooftop, and operate in a combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) mode to lower emissions, increase energy efficiency, and ensure reliable power generation for the 377- bedded regional hospital.


The natural gas-fuelled microturbines are grid-connected, and provide electricity, heating, and domestic hot water for the facility. The project was funded in part by the Council of the European Union to help the hospital meet international efficiency standards. The EU is aiming for a 20% cut in Europe’s annual primary energy consumption by 2020. Following installation of the C200s, staff at the hospital report an increase in natural gas efficiencies from 34% to 73%.


A ‘cutaway’ image of a Capstone C65 microturbine. 32 Health Estate Journal April 2017


‘Ultra-low’ greenhouse gas emissions “The microturbines’ ultra-low greenhouse gas and noise emissions, low vibration, and low maintenance costs, paired with their ability to withstand Slovenia’s harsh climate, make them the best technology for the hospital,” explains Jim Crouse, Capstone’s executive vice-president of Sales and Marketing. The C200 features Capstone’s patented oil-free air bearing technology, remote monitoring and diagnostic capabilities, and integrated utility synchronisation and protection. The small, modular systems allow for easy and low-cost installation. These examples clearly show how microturbine technology can provide a proven, cost-effective, and efficient solution to hospitals and other healthcare facilities under increasing pressure to cut carbon emissions and reduce energy bills while simultaneously reducing their reliance on the grid.


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