Available Case Studies

Case Studies

National Trust, Libanus, Nr Brecon

An existing converted barn providing accommodation for National Trust volunteers was upgrade by removal of the oil system and replacement by a fully automated Biotech PZ25RL wood pellet boiler linked to a 700litre buffer tank. The pellet store was constructed by the National Trust to a design agreed with Biofutures.

The extraction system used was a “Mole” which maximised the storage capacity given the small footprint, as no sloping floors are required. Pellets are conveyed from the pellet store by hoses through the attic space before being deposited within the boiler storage tank ready for heating the barn. Replacing the oil system results in a very economical and the greenest solution with significant financial benefits through the Renewable Heat Incentive.

Llangwm, Nr Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire

A new vicarage for the Church was built in Llangwm and at the “eleventh hour” it was decided to replace the oil heating system proposed by a wood pellet heating system due to the financial saving in running costs and the proposed Renewable Heat Incentive. A Toplight boiler was specified to meet the heat demand within the house and due to the compact design it was possible to fit it into the space allocated for the oil boiler.

The Pellet storage silo is outside and pellets are supplied automatically to the boiler by means of vacuum from the silo. Consumption has been no more than 4 tons over the first year operation making it very economical and the greenest solution.

Talley, Nr Llandielo - First Solar Tracker in Wales?


Sunrise	Midday	Sunset

The solar tracker was given planning approval by Carmarthenshire County Council in late 2011. The scheme was implemented prior to the 12th December FIT tariff changes.

The 16 Sanyo 235W panels are mounted onto a single axis tracker and has a declared capacity of 3.76kW. The active tracking systems provide up to a 40 % higher yield from your fixed PV modules systems. The tracker follows the sun through the day, this extends the time that useful power levels are delivered and maximises the peak power.

Benefits

Single axis design for cost effectiveness - Reliability and efficiency.
Simple design for fast, failure-free installation - High reliability and excellent serviceability.
Low cost of ownership - Long life expectancy in line with PV modules.
Predictable financial planning - Short Return of Investment (ROI) cycle.
Very attractive business case against -Fixed and dual axis PV installations.

Henstaff Business & Conference Centre, Cardiff

The latest scheme involves a Biotech 65Kw wood pellet boiler that has replaced the existing LPG heat system at this successful business and conference centre at Groesfaen outside Cardiff. This energy centre in association with an existing PV scheme makes this commercial/business centre one of the greenest in Wales.

The environmental case for reducing carbon emissions is well established but the business and financial benefits of installing a wood pellet heating system are persuasive. Notwithstanding, the lower operational costs, which are significant, the payments from OFGEM through the Renewable Heat Incentive are such that relying on fossil fuels for the future makes little commercial sense.

The Biotech boiler is located within a former office space and is linked to a 1500lit buffer and 6Ton pellet silo feed by a vacuum “Mole” feeding device. The system has convenience levels similar to gas or oil. The boiler has a single-phase electrical supply; has fully automated pellet feed, ash cleaning and heat exchanger cleaning. The boiler has BCL modems providing SMS messages to maintenance staff and the boilers functioning can be interrogated via SMS text messaging.

With 96% efficiency the boiler provide a low cost space heating to the facility and is already saving the owners £1200 a month compared to the LPG costs, without considering the payments from the commercial RHI scheme which will be significant.

With boiler sizes from 15 -100KW and the ability to “link” units systems can be designed for virtually all commercial/business premises.

Fact Sheet | Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire

In this project the client had an interesting problem having bought a derelict stone barn in the middle of a marsh on the dark side of a wood. It had planning permission to demolish and rebuild as a bungalow. Consensus needed to be drawn in order to marry the planning requirement for the barn style building with the client’s aspired actions for sustainable, contemporary rural design on the client side.

The solution was to produce a design based on the best energy conserving aspects of vernacular design using the natural topography for shelter, and re-using materials, while employing today’s energy conservation including orientation for passive solar gain and insulation. The contour-hugging plan shrugs off the weather and if reflected internally as attractive split levels. The “green” theme of the project has also been applied to the building materials which are either reclaimed or drawn from sustainable local suppliers. The property illustrates that highly energy-efficient dwellings do not need to be “exhibitionist”. The example shows that they can be designed to reflect local vernacular traditions and can contribute positively to a locality.

Property has been fitted with Biotech PZ8RL 15 KW Biomass boiler and solar system having first investigated and dismissing a ground source heat pump. There have been considerable savings on annual running costs compared to the original oil boilers fitted in the house.

Fact Sheet | Bethlehem, Llandielo, Carmarthenshire

The development is a small residential scheme of three dwellings in the village of Bethlehem, near Llandeilo. The site is located on the very edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park and lies in an outstanding landscape setting.

The development by a small development company has created a well-designed and highly sustainable development. The design quality of recent developments in Bethlehem has generally been mediocre and of a suburban character. The scheme sets new standards of development in the area, both in terms of design and sustainability. The existing local vernacular consists of buildings with simple, orthogonal floor plates and rendered walls set below slate roofs.

This proposal is intended to reflect this character, while also creating highly energy efficient houses that exploit the solar orientation with large south facing windows. In order to maximise heat retention, north facing windows are reduced. The houses are very well insulated timber framed structure using Warmcell insulation and special insulated internal wall and ceiling panels. The Design Commission commended the scheme for Wales as a good example of modern, contextually appropriate development within a rural settlement.

Each units has the rear section of the garage designed as a plant room and is equipped with the smallest 2-9 KW Biotech Toplight Biomass boiler that supplies space heating (under floor) and DHW in the winter months and in the summer the solar water heating will provide an excess of hot water. With PV technology advancing, costs reducing and new feed in tariffs then the house could become “carbon zero” very easily following the fitting of a PV array.

Fact Sheet | Golden Grove

This retrofit south to provide this historic estate managers house with a total space heating and DHW solution to the property. Constructed in the late 1800’s the house is of solid wall construction with traditional timber sash windows.

The owner was looking for a green solution to heating the property.The availability of an adjacent outbuilding provided the ideal opportunity to facilitate the installation of a 5 ton silo and Biotech biomass wood pellet system which is connected to the house by means of below ground insulated pipes.

The pellet silo is filled from the delivery lorry by means of a blower and the pellets are fed into the boiler itself by the boiler vacuum system. Manual feed system are available if space is a limitation but given the demand at this property it was concluded that a silo was the most sensible and cost affective solution.

The system is also fitted with a twin coil cylinder that will enable the owner to fit a solar thermal system at some future date.

A 15 KW Biotech Toplight Biomass boiler will provide space heating and DHW.

Fact Sheet | Gwalia Housing, Llanybydder, Carmarthenshire

The latest large scheme involves 3 Biotech 100 KW wood pellet boilers running in “cascade mode” for a significant residential RSL scheme of 44 units plus communal areas. This energy centre will also include PV’s, solar thermal panels and is in essence a district heating system.

The boilers use a single-phase electrical supply; have fully automated pellet feed, ash cleaning and heat exchanger cleaning. The boilers have BCL modems providing SMS messages to maintenance staff and the boilers functioning can be interrogated via SMS text messaging.

With 96% efficiency the boilers provide a low cost space heating and hot water supply to the facility.

Boilers linked to 5000 Lit buffer tank.