A biomass fuelled thermal energy system has been installed at an automobile engine production facility in Kolleda, Germany.
The facility has been erected by Daimler Chrysler and the decision to use wood, produced in the immediate vicinity of the plant, as the principal fuel was made early on due to its availability, economy and environmental acceptability.
Mawera was specified an automatic wood firing plant incorporating two Mawera medium pressure hot water boilers with outputs of 3,000kW and 2,000kW respectively.
In each of the boilers the biomass fuel is transported over the bed automatically by a hydraulically operated connecting rod system. Each section of the bed is separated to ensure complete combustion and photo electric cells control combustion and safety.
By using biomass, the plant negates the use of 1.3 million litres of fuel oil a year, and eliminates the emission of 3,500 tonnes of CO2.
Roy Scrivens of Mawera (UK)-Moldow Ltd said: “The selection by one of the world’s leading automobile organisations of a biomass fuelled thermal energy system for all its heat energy requirements indicates the confidence they have in such a system from both an economic and engineering stand point.
“The use of this type of plant also supports the current govenment objectives of an increase in the use of renewables to achieve a higher percentage of thermal and electrical energy by 2010.”