Nursing home group goes Green

Spa Nursing Homes Limited converting four care homes to wood pellet fuel in 2014

Spa Nursing Homes selected Green Energy Technology Ltd., (GET) to convert their care homes from heating oil to wood pellet fuel. The first home has been completed, with GET installing an award winning Hargassner wood pellet boiler in a turn-key plant room at The Spa Nursing Home in county Down.

This 'GET Heat Module' is constructed off site, to minimise disruption at the nursing home. Once it is delivered to site, it can be connected to the building and provide heat within 2 days. During this time there is no interruption to the existing heating performance.

In addition to the nursing home in The Spa, GET will be converting homes in Crumlin, Carryduff and Ballynahinch from heating oil to wood pellets.

Externally the GET Heat Module is finished to a high standard, and is linked to a wood pellet silo. Any external pipework is insulated and protected.

The main driver for the installation of these systems at Spa Nursing Homes Limited is the Northern Ireland Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). The RHI pays the owners of wood pellet boilers for every unit of heat the boiler generates, this is an incentive for switching from fossil fuels. Although there are no grants to assist with the capital costs, the quarterly incentive payments mean that these projects have a payback of 4 years or less.

Damien Phillips, Project Manager at GET, stated: 'The four nursing home conversions represent a large investment by the group, however, there is a relatively short payback due to the RHI. Looking at the longer term, using Hargassner boilers means we have a high-tech solution requiring minimal involvement by nursing home staff, and GET has the ability to monitor each boiler remotely.'

The Hargassner wood pellet boiler is integrated with a complete plant room package.

The RHI scheme lasts for 20 years, and payments are index linked. In addition to the financial benefits of switching to wood pellets, it also means the nursing homes will reduce their environmental impact and help support local jobs. All pellets will be sourced from the island of Ireland.

Chris Arnold, from Spa Nursing Homes Ltd., commented; 'Overall the experience of moving away from heating oil has been relatively straightforward. Once we examined the financials and the overall benefits, it was an easy decision to make. We wanted a quality installation, Hargassner and GET met our requirements. GET took care of everything, right through to claiming the RHI payments. We are looking forward to working with GET on the rest of our properties.'

Damien Phillips continued; 'With a twenty year government incentive it is important that a quality product is used. Hargassner boilers are design to last. They are tried and tested, and if properly maintained they will last well over 30 years'.

Green Energy Technology Ltd. are based in Waringstown, between Banbridge and Lurgan, and have a showroom open to the public with working models of all technologies. Their previous biomass heating projects include Castlewellan Castle, Moy Park Poultry farm, as well as factories, offices and accomodation.

For enquiries contact Damien on 02838881228 or damien(at)get-renewables.com