5 May 2016
The quest for energy efficiency continues at Splash Palace following the recent installation of a larger woodchip storage bunker.
Stage one of the conversion of the aquatic centre to wood energy began in 2013 with the replacement of two coal boilers with an Austrian manufactured woodchip boiler. Stage two of the process was the installation of a larger wood chip storage facility.
Invercargill Assets Manager Paul Horner says the improved storage capacity means Splash Palace can now get through longer periods without having to get topped up with woodchip.
“Splash Palace was utilising the adapted coal storage facility for the woodchip but Invercargill City Council had always intended to update the storage bunker to gain even more efficiencies from the conversion to wood energy.”
“We’re now cutting back on truck visits and in staff time handling the woodchip in the adapted coal bunker.”
“While wood energy is a highly effective way of heating a facility like Splash Palace it’s also important to remember that using cleaner burning energy options helps improve the quality of the air we breathe.”
Each year almost four times the amount of New Zealanders die from respiratory ailments acquired from the inhalation of polluted air than in road accidents.
Venture Southland Wood Energy Coordinator Rachel Butler says there is steady demand for wood energy feasibility studies and there are now ten wood biomass users across commercial, education and local government operations around Southland. There is still funding available for feasibility studies and capital projects until 20 May 2016.
Venture Southland is working in cooperation with EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) to encourage commercial, educational and local government operations to convert to cleaner burning wood energy. Funding is available to organisations to undertake feasibility studies into conversion to wood energy.