ENERGY SYSTEMS
A CHP unit in a medical research facility. Improving efficiency
Traditional power generation is often only around 40 per cent fuel-efficient, and, as previously mentioned, any heat that is generated by the equipment is lost. Either way, hospitals must consume more energy to produce the intended output, which can lower the site’s overall efficiency, and increase energy costs. One main characteristic of CHP is that, as a domestic system, it produces power inside the hospital itself, and avoids transmission losses because the electricity does not need to travel along any power lines to reach its destination. As a result, less fuel is needed to produce the required energy output. Recovering the thermal energy that would normally be discharged is also beneficial – according to the UK Government, CHP technology has an efficiency of over 80 per cent.
Financial benefits
CHP maximises the energy output from a single fuel source, meaning that less upfront capital is needed to compensate for wasted energy. The economic benefits are well-documented: according to the Securing Healthy Returns report by the Sustainable Development Unit (SDU) for NHS England and Public Health England, cogeneration could help the NHS save £26.4 million a year, enough to fund the salaries of over 1,200 newly-qualified registered nurses.
As mentioned earlier, CHP generates power on site, reducing reliance on purchasing power from the wider network. Thinking ahead, producing a certain amount of power domestically using CHP is an investment, because it can help protect the hospital from rising grid charges and tariffs. As well as savings, there are returns. By investing in good quality CHP, hospitals can qualify for various financial incentives and grants,
44 Health Estate Journal October 2021
A CHP unit installed at a pharmaceutical facility.
including a reduction or exemption from their Climate Change Levy (CCL), and an Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) on their cogeneration plant, ancillaries, and other equipment.
Preparing for carbon-neutral As hospitals commit to becoming carbon neutral, CHP will be a key stepping stone in helping management teams and Trusts meet their sustainability targets. According to the UK Government, the cogeneration process can help reduce carbon emissions by up to 30 per cent. By capturing usable heat, CHP requires less gas or diesel to produce the required power compared with conventional power stations, lowering the hospital’s fuel consumption, and reducing the amount of fossil fuels burnt. While CHP only enables a reduction in emissions, rather than an elimination, it is a tried,
tested, and trusted technology, is affordable, and, importantly, delivers good return on investment.
Improving air quality
One of the main drivers of the net zero target is the ambition to improve air quality. Long-term exposure to particulate matter is a common cause of cardiovascular disease and lung cancer, meaning clean air will become one of the Government’s main objectives as it tries to reduce hospital admissions. Because less fuel is used in a CHP system compared with conventional plants, fewer combustion products are produced per unit of energy. Therefore, less sulphur dioxide (SO2
), carbon dioxide (CO2 ),
and nitrogen oxide (NOx) are released, helping to improve air quality in and around the hospital.
For example, when Rotherham General Hospital needed a genset to provide essential power for patient care, sustainability was a key priority for the Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, and thus any new power solution would need to be efficient and to minimise waste. Finning supplied a containerised Cat G3516B gas generator set to provide the power, along with ancillaries including heat recovery modules, an external radiator cooling system, and a fire detection and suppression system. Heat exchangers were used to harvest thermal energy from the engine water jacket, after-cooler, and exhaust gases, to heat water. Testing showed that the site had an overall efficiency rate of 90.2 per cent just 30 days after installation.
A CHP system that Finning installed at a facility in Cork, Ireland.
Getting the most out of CHP Once a system has been installed, hospital management teams and equipment operators must regularly monitor it to make sure that it is running optimally. Generally, a CHP system should generate
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