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Local Biomass heats Greenhouses

Cathal Ellis, Horticulture Technologist, College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE)

During 2008, a Froling 320kW biomass boiler was installed to provide heating for the main glasshouse complex at the Horticulture Development Centre (HDC) at Greenmount Campus, in an effort to reduce heating costs and the carbon footprint of the unit. The previously installed 500kW oil boiler was maintained to act as a backup and to provide extra heat at times of severe cold weather.
The biomass system was integrated with ten 2.5m2 flat-plate solar panels. Solar energy is used to pre-heat water before the main biomass boiler. During the summer months, as very little heating is used, the solar element of the system provides sufficient heat for the needs of the glasshouse complex. In the winter, the biomass boiler shoulders the majority of the energy provision.
Locally sourced spruce wood chip at 30 percent moisture content was effectively burned for the first twelve months of operation. In October 2009, the switch was made to locally sourced willow chip. The willow is grown as a Short Rotation Coppice (SRC), cut every two to three years with a modified self propelled grass harvester. The resultant chip is dried from around 50 percent moisture to 20 percent in an on floor grain dryer. Willow chip is used to fuel the burner to provide the heat for the dryer.  Regular weekly deliveries keep the boiler supplied with adequate fuel for the glasshouse complex.
By converting to biomass heating for the HDC glasshouse an annual saving of 49 percent on fuel costs has been achieved. In addition, a 94 percent reduction in the use of fossil fuels has saved an estimated 200 tonnes of CO2.

Renewable Energy Event at CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus on Tuesday 2 November

This facility can be seen and issues discussed along with other renewable technologies in place at CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus during the ‘Practical On-Farm Renewable Energy’ event being held on Tuesday 2 November between 11.00am and 9.00pm.

Harvesting of a locally-based willow crop that is used to fuel a biomass boiler at the Greenmount Campus glasshouse complex. This facility can be seen during the ‘Practical On-Farm Renewable Energy’ event being held on Tuesday 2 November at Greenmount Campus.