Mid West Regional Authority

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Energy Solutions for Sustainable Development
Mid West Regional Authority
Renewables for Sports Facilities
Greenhills hotel, Limerick
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Presentation Contents

• Energy Efficiency First
• Detailed load analysis
• Thermal renewables
• Electric Renewables

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Energy Efficiency First

• It is essential to minimise energy needs before
  installing renewable technologies
• Energy audits identify the appropriate target
• Investment in energy efficiency is cost effective
  and will generally have short payback periods

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Detailed load analysis

• Where renewable energy technology is used to meet
  on-site consumption
• Decide if it is feasible to meet all energy needs
  from renewables
• Understand both the Demand and Consumption
  profiles of energy use

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Thermal Energy Renewables

• Solar thermal - Passive
• Many buildings are not designed to utilise
  passive solar gains
• All buildings can be adapted to maximise the
  benefit of passive solar gain.
• Solar gain can include light as well as heat
• Fabric is essential to harness solar gains
  particularly glazing insulation
• Open floor plan is essential for heat distribution

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Thermal Energy Renewables

• Solar thermal panels
• Flat plate vacuum tube
• Typically only for hot water and in sports
  facilities may not be capable of meeting total
  needs.
• Planning exemptions apply
• Total aperture area lt 50m2 or 50 of total roof
  area, whichever is lesser
• Grants may be available
• Costs will be 1,500 / kW
• Size your buffer tank carefully

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Thermal Energy Renewables

• Geothermal thermal
• Planning exemptions possible
• Ground level alteration lt 1m above or below
  adjoining ground
• Total area of heat pumps lt 15m2
• 50cm from edge of wall or roof
• Capital Cost approx 700 / kW, grants available
• Collector size and buffer tanks Very important
• Understand both the Demand and Consumption
  profiles of energy use
• Usually more economic to size based on the main
  heat demand with back up, or as back up to
  another renewable energy option

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Thermal Energy Renewables

• Biomass thermal - indigenous
• Wood chip
• Miscanthus
• Planning exemptions possible
• Gross floor space lt 20 m2
• Capacity of fuel storage tank above ground lt
  50,000 litres
• Max height of boiler house or fuel tank lt 3m
• Up to 2 flues, max height 15m and max diameter 2m
• 100m from nearest inhabited dwelling
• 50m from nearest public road
• Capital cost are approx 350 - 450 / kW
• Grants available for up to 40
• Supports local enterprise
• Fuelstorage and hot water buffer tank, important

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Thermal Energy Renewables

• Biomass thermal processed pellet
• These are generally a residue of the construction
  industry but not particularly
• Planning exemptions may apply
• Gross floor space lt 20 m2
• Capacity of fuel storage tank above ground lt
  50,000 litres
• Max height of boiler house or fuel tank lt 3m
• Up to 2 flues, max height 15m and max diameter 2m
• 100m from nearest inhabited dwelling
• 50m from nearest public road
• Cost for equipment are approx 400 / kW, grants
  available
• Fuel Bufffer storage size is important

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Electric Energy Renewables

• Micro wind turbine
• Exemption from planning
• No exemption for building-mounted turbines
• Max height lt 20m
• Rotor diameter lt 8m
• Ground clearance gt 3m
• Turbine height plus 1 m from nearest party
  boundary
• 100m from nearest inhabited dwelling
• 50m from nearest public road
• 6 kW turbines cost approx - 25,000
• Standard of turbine and installation important
• REFIT values (68.7 c/kWh) make payback typically
  gt 15 years

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Electric Energy Renewables

• Micro hydro turbine
• Significant planning issues to overcome
• Significant Habitats, Fisheries Environment
  issues to overcome
• 3 kW turbines cost approx - 20,000
• REFIT values (83.8 c / kWh) make payback gt 10
  years.
• Does not generally suffer from the difficulty of
  variability.
• Potential and case studies available on the web
  site www.lcea.ie

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Electric Energy Renewables

• Photovoltaic panels
• Exemption from planning possible
• Total aperture area lt 50m2 or 50 of total roof
  area, whichever is lesser
• 1 kW turbines cost approx - 6,000
• Panels can make a contribution to base
  electricity load
• Unlikely to be economic in sports facilities
• REFIT payments make these uneconomic at present.

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Thank You
Energy Solutions for Sustainable Development

• Limerick Clare Energy Agency
• Foundation Building
• University of Limerick
• Limerick
• Pat Stephens
• Manager
• T 061 234296
• E info_at_lcea.ie
• W www.lcea.ie