Energy

Combined Heat & Power CHP and District Heating

Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is the simultaneous generation of usable heat and electrical power in a single process. Relatively speaking, CHP plants offer longer payback periods but if your facility has a good use for the heat generated, and sized correctly, it can significantly reduce energy costs, consumption and CO₂ emissions.

Fairfields have experience with integrating packaged equipment such as engines, turbines and boilers with the balance of plant (BOP) to provide a single point of control and monitoring for the entire system. District heating often requires remote outstations spread across cities. Fairfields have developed secure industrial network solutions allowing these outstations to be accessed by the main plant.

The control room at a District Heating plant

Energy Management and Efficiency

Fairfields has worked with clients on many occasions to review their existing energy usage and assist with energy management and optimisation improvements. We have allowed our clients to benefit from a higher operational performance and reduce the amount of energy used without risking quality.

The implementation of improved automation techniques has collectively improved productivity, reducing down time and minimised maintenance requirements, whilst simultaneously reducing energy consumption. Improved automation techniques can be the backbone for more effective data collection, with the implementation of industrial networks, supervisory systems and energy monitoring and specialised energy management systems.

Electric motors are the largest single consumer of electrical energy without exception in any industry or manufacturing facility; commonly fans, pumps, and conveyor belts. We have helped our clients invest in areas that have provided the quickest financial return by replacing old motor starter equipment with Variable Speed Drives (VSD’s) in conjunction with more efficient motors, improved control philosophies and control loops.

Low or no cost supply voltage optimisation can save between 5-15% in electricity consumption simply by tapping down supply transformers. The majority of modern equipment can operate at 400/220V, but commonly supply transformers provide 420/242V or higher in many cases. Power factor correction has been implemented to improve the useable power available at relatively modest installation costs whilst providing similar efficiency savings.