SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
Trust will look to hydrogen switch for future CHPs
Alex Best, Head of Capital at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, explains how – with the recent purchase of two 2G Energy CHP units which could switch to running on hydrogen in the future, and a further such system set for installation later this year – the Trust is aiming to play its part in the NHS reaching its zero carbon emission targets, as well as looking to save money on its electricity importation.
When Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust was looking into an energy solution for onsite generation, the two key objectives were a solution that would address our ambitious zero carbon targets, which met and surpassed the Energy Roadmap for achieving Zero Carbon Emissions 2050, and one that would save considerable revenue costs for importing electricity. Given the economic lifespan of combined heat and power (CHP), we also wanted a solution that would lead us into the future, with an environmentally friendly perspective, based upon a wise investment, and an adaptable solution for the forthcoming years. Through the competitive tender process, we sought a company which could provide such an energy solution, and which would also take an innovative and flexible approach to our requirements and ideas; 2G Energy fitted the brief perfectly.
2G Energy is a leading manufacturer of decentralised energy generation systems that harness combined heat and power (CHP), and are deployed throughout the world. With its experience and quality products, we were confident the company could deliver our energy needs.
A carbon-intensive energy source At the moment, natural gas engines are considered carbon-intensive due to the lowering of the carbon intensity figures. Every year the environmental benefits of CHP technology become less and less. In order to decarbonise the gas, hydrogen is the obvious answer as a means of fulfilling our ambitious zero carbon targets. We knew that 2G Energy produced its first 100% hydrogen CHP back in 2012, way ahead of other suppliers, so we were confident in both its experience in hydrogen technology and its approach to innovation. 2G natural gas CHP systems can be retrofitted to run on 100% hydrogen. Injecting hydrogen directly into the cylinder heads enables the CHP system to run on 100% hydrogen; we were confident that we could buy a natural gas engine now and be sure that the system would be future-proof.
50 Health Estate Journal April 2021
The 2G Energy 1.5 MWe avus 1200e CHP at the Hull Royal Infirmary (HRI) site, which the Trust hopes to be running for the next 15 years.
Self-funded project
We have now completed and self-funded the installation, and are successfully running two 2G Energy CHPs – a 100 kWe aura 404 for our standalone Sterile Services Unit (SSU), and a 1.5 MWe avus 1200e for our Hull Royal Infirmary (HRI) site, which we hope to be running for the next 15 years. A further 1.5 MWe CHP is planned for our Castle Hill Hospital (CHH) site in Cottingham later this year. The Trust operates three main sites: Hull Royal Infirmary is our major acute site, with over 900 beds, Castle Hill Hospital is our elective site, with a similar amount of beds, while the SSU delivers all our offsite sterilisation activities. Both our acute and elective sites have a base load of circa 1.5 MWe, so there is an obvious need for on-site generation to reduce our revenue costs.
Practicalities of producing hydrogen As a Trust we view our CHP systems as major assets which need to be monitored and evaluated and continuously optimised in turns of their operation. The major drawback currently for using hydrogen is the practicality of producing
it, which in our case would mean using electrolysis – a huge hurdle due to the power requirement for electrolysis. However, we are actively working with the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and 2G Energy to overcome this. The benefits of wider adoption of hydrogen power, both to us as a Trust, but equally to the NHS across the board, would be considerable. Electrolysis production involves splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen would act as the fuel for CHP, and the ‘by-product’ of medical grade oxygen will be used for the Trust. This is a major benefit for any Trust; to be able to use what is essentially a product of waste production to support our patients, especially during the current COVID-19 pandemic when oxygen is in high demand.
Ready for the future
We as a Trust want to ensure that we are ready for the future. Within the next 5-6 years the national grid infrastructure will start to introduce a blended increase of hydrogen into the gas lines. Our strategy has been to purchase an asset
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