FEATURE
Onsite generation can also unlock attractive new revenue streams. Depending on the mix of clean energy solutions a business goes for, onsite generation has the potential to add significant amounts to a company’s bottom line.
Three innovative business models to help drive benefits for energy managers:
Energy storage A joint venture between Aura Power and Thrive Renewables is offering thousands of UK businesses the chance to use battery energy storage systems to cut electricity bills at no cost to themselves.
The joint venture will install and operate batteries for medium and large energy users free of charge in return for a share of revenues. Once the battery is installed, customers will achieve immediate cost savings by avoiding premium-cost peak energy charges and generating income through flexibility services to the grid.
The project is targeting thousands of businesses spending
“Many companies have corporate social responsibility (CSR)
imperatives that could be achieved by using energy in smarter ways.”
£500,000 a year or more on electricity. Over 8,000 businesses in the UK have annual electricity contracts of 10GWh or more and are likely to be spending at least £1m a year, according to energy market analysts Cornwall Insight. The number with £500,000 annual bills is likely to be far larger.
Customers with a mid-range 2MW battery could save more than £1m over a 15-year standard contract.
Off-grid renewables The Greenvale AP potato processing facility joined forces with Thrive Renewables to install a 1.5MW wind turbine next to their buildings in 2014. Greenvale, located near March in Cambridgeshire, is committed to sustainability and opted for the new turbine to supplement their existing solar PV system. The wind power generated now provides up to 75% of Greenvale’s energy demand.
There is increasing pressure in modern supply chains to provide goods more cheaply and sustainably. Many UK businesses, like Greenvale, are looking to on-site, private wire renewables as a solution. These companies don’t necessarily have the right shaped capital, skill set or time to manage the installations and maintenance themselves, so they seek support from specialist renewable energy investment companies to provide access to the required capital, experience of dealing with renewable builds in developed areas, and understanding of technical renewable energy operations.
www.tomorrowsfm.com
Ground source heat pumps Rendesco, is an innovative ground source heat pump installer. Heat accounts for almost 40% of the UK’s energy demand, 70% of which is generated by burning natural gas, resulting in 20% of the UK’s CO2 emissions.
Ground source heat pumps significantly reduce this negative environmental impact by using underground pipes to extract heat from the ground to heat radiators, underfloor or air systems and water. The pump requires electricity to run but uses less power than it produces and therefore generates lower CO2 emissions overall – the typical ratio is 1:3.
Rendesco has a compelling offer whereby it designs, installs and maintains ground source heat pumps for clients, providing 20 years of low-cost energy. After the 20 years, Rendesco gives the heat pump to the client. Over the last three years, the company has successfully delivered 21 systems in new build developments.
Running a heat pump costs around 30% less than an equivalent gas boiler, 40% less than oil and 60% less than LPG, so as well as reducing carbon emissions, they can also lower energy bills. Heat pumps also have a longer life than combustion boilers and require less maintenance. The ground stays at a fairly constant temperature under the surface, so the heat pump can be used throughout the year.
Rendesco achieves a return on its investment through the government’s non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) payment, a 20-year inflation-linked subsidy.
www.thriverenewables.co.uk TOMORROW’S FM | 39
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