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Vital Energi are delivering a new £13.5m Re:Fit project which will install a range of energy conservation measures resulting in £1.5 million of energy savings and 3,000 tonnes of carbon reduction per annum.

Des Keighan, Assistant Director of Operations – Estates said this was the second phase of the Re:Fit project and would see the delivery of a 4 mw solar farm.  The first phase saw investment in LED lighting, Building Energy Management Systems upgrades.

The first phase of the project has been delivered despite very challenging circumstances and is on track to be completed as planned.   The second phase will see the first Solar Farm development by a Health Board in Wales and is an exciting opportunity to progress the Welsh Government’s decarbonising agenda.  

Eight of the Health Board’s highest energy using buildings have been upgraded including Morriston Hospital, Singleton Hospital, Gorseinon Hospital and Tonna Hospital. The upgrades will account for a 12% reduction in emissions across the estate.

All carbon and financial savings are guaranteed under an energy performance contract.

Vital Energi are delighted to be working with local Parkinson’s support community, Northern Lights, and as well as taking part in their walking football tournament on Friday 28^th July, they have committed to sponsoring their team for the next five years.

Based in the North West, Northern Lights is a self-funded, voluntary organisation which offers support and help to people with Parkinson’s disease – a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination – and aims to put a smile on their faces by introducing them to the joys of walking football.

A great way to stay fit and potentially relieve some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s, walking football also allows participants to learn new skills and make friends with those in a similar situation.

Northern Lights FC currently have 15 players, many of whom used to play football professionally, and are hoping this number will grow. As well as sponsoring the team for the next five years, over 20 members of the Vital Energi team took part in a walking football tournament on Friday 28th July at Witton Country Park, where five teams battled it out – Vital Energi’s C team were crowned the overall winners.

Project Engineer, Asif Asvat, played a key role in organising the Vital players, as well as playing in the tournament.

“I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the tournament, playing alongside members of the Northern Lights community, and believe it is incredibly important for companies to get involved in initiatives to raise awareness of Parkinson’s,” said Asif.

“Playing alongside colleagues in the football match allowed us to see each other in a different light and strengthened the bonds we share beyond our professional roles. The spirit of camaraderie that flourished on the field translates into better collaboration and understanding back in the office, and I can’t wait for the next initiative.”

Find out more about Northern Lights by clicking here.

Vital Energi have signed a collaboration agreement with the University of Birmingham to develop and commercialise a range of innovative thermal storage solutions, which will help accelerate decarbonisation within the heating and cooling sector.

Vital Energi and the University of Birmingham will work together over an initial four years to continue the development of thermal storage Intellectual Property (IP) with a view to bringing a number of products to market. As part of the agreement, the University has assigned several IP rights, including a number of patents, to Vital Energi.

The implementation of thermal energy storage is imperative to address the challenges posed by intermittent renewables and enhance the overall reliability and sustainability of energy systems. Just as decarbonisation of electrical generation necessitated the huge growth in electrical storage over the last 10 years, it is expected that thermal energy storage will emerge over the next decade as a key enabler in accelerating the electrification of heat which will form the core of heat decarbonisation.

The collaboration will leverage the combined strengths of Vital Energi’s industry experience and the expertise in the team led by Professor Yulong Ding, Chamberlain Chair of Chemical Engineering and the founder of Birmingham Centre for Energy Storage. By fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas and knowledge, both entities aim to accelerate the pace of innovation and commercialisation of thermal storage solutions.

Vital Energi are committed to providing clients and end users with the most efficient and economic decarbonisation solutions and recognise the pivotal role that thermal storage plays in the future to ensure efficient utilisation of energy resources. This collaboration aligns with their aim of delivering environmentally conscious and technologically advanced solutions that address the challenges of today’s rapidly evolving energy landscape.

Vital Energi’s Technical Development Director, Chris Taylor, said:

“We see thermal energy storage as a core component in the decarbonisation of the heating and cooling sector. Through this collaboration, we aim to bring innovative energy storage to the market and tackle some of the obstacles introduced by an evolving energy system.

“This is an exciting time for Vital and we believe we have found the perfect partners in Professor Ding and his team at the University of Birmingham, and look forward to working together to commercialise their concepts.”

Professor Ding, who is known for inventing novel, commercialisable, technologies for electrical and thermal energy storage, has published over 450 technical papers and filed some 100 patent applications over the past 35 years.

Professor Martin Freer, Director of the Birmingham Energy Institute at the University of Birmingham, added:  “This partnership is really exciting as it allows a pathway for the discoveries of Professor Ding and his team to deliver impact in the development of the UK’s energy system in the much-needed area of energy storage.

“The University of Birmingham’s research is world leading in this area and it presents the opportunity with Vital Energi, who have been fantastic partners, to deliver world leading energy solutions.” 

Vital Energi are working with Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to reduce their carbon footprint by 1,700 tonnes through the installation of a range of energy solutions which provide guaranteed savings in excess of £750,000 per year.

Both Cheltenham General Hospital and Gloucestershire Royal Hospital will secure a sustainable future through the installation of renewable generation and energy conservation measures across their sites, whilst also benefitting from improved energy supply resilience.

Vital Energi supported the Trust through their PSDS application, from which they obtained £13.7m of grant funding which will support the implementation of a range of low carbon energy generation systems at both hospitals, including 4MW of battery energy storage systems, 400kW of air source heat pumps and 380kW of solar PV systems.

Vital Energi will also implement a range of Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) across the two hospital estates, including full replacement of the BEMS systems, installation of voltage optimisation systems, replacement of high voltage transformers, replacement of forced-draught fan units with low-energy fan systems (EC Fans), and thermal insulation solutions.

The integration of battery energy storage systems will include the installation of a local smart grid system at the hospitals, which will enable the Trust to operate both the new and existing energy systems to maximise carbon reduction whilst minimising impact on revenue costs and also enable to uptake of off-site low carbon generation systems.

Steve Black, Vital’s Account Director who developed and led the project, said:

“Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is committed to reducing its carbon emissions, and we’re delighted to be working with the Trust teams in developing and delivering low and zero carbon energy solutions.

“The installation of the innovative multi-technology low-carbon solutions implemented under the first round of PSDS funding is a major step in reducing energy related carbon emissions and also provides a platform on which the Trust can build to achieve its net zero carbon goals in line with government targets.”

Vital Energi has been working with Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust since 2014 when they entered into an 18-year energy performance contract (EPC).

Vital Energi have been awarded a three-year contract to deliver bespoke operation and maintenance services across the L&Q Energy’s portfolio of heat networks across London, which consists of 22 developments providing communal heating and hot water to over 4,000 residents.

In the latest round of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), Vital Energi has supported clients across the country to fund renewable energy and heat network projects totalling £68m, accelerating their journey to net zero.

Vital Energi has successfully guided eight clients through the Phase 4 application process, securing £55.6m in funding for their projects. Including previous rounds of PSDS, this brings the total funding they’ve secured to an impressive £337.6m.

Clients in this round are from the healthcare, local authority, and transport sectors, and these groundbreaking projects will generate combined annual carbon savings of almost 8,500 tonnes, and over £1m in energy savings each year.

The projects will harness the latest technology and include energy solutions such as large-scale heat pump systems, the connection of existing public sector buildings to heat networks, solar PV, and a host of energy conservation measures, from LED lighting upgrades to pipework insulation.

PSDS is a UK government initiative that provides grant funding to public sector organisations for energy efficiency and low carbon heating measures in their buildings. Administered by Salix Finance, the scheme aims to reduce carbon emissions from public buildings by 75% by 2037.

PSDS 4 further advances the government’s net zero and clean growth ambitions by prioritising funding for decarbonisation projects where heating systems are nearing the end of their operational life and require replacement.

Vital Energi has the in-house capability to complete feasibility studies, surveys and data analysis required to develop a qualifying scheme. They have the expertise to optimise the solution to ensure the project has the best possible chance of securing grant funding, and self-deliver the construction, operation, and performance guarantee over the lifetime of the asset.

PSDS is just one of the many funding pathways Vital Energi can support you with. If you’re planning a decarbonisation project, get in touch by emailing [email protected] 

Dedicated to helping the UK achieve its net zero ambitions, Vital Energi has secured £72.3m of Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme funding for clients across the country, and will deliver projects using the latest technologies to save almost 15,000 tonnes of carbon per year.

The PSDS funding is administered by Salix Finance on behalf of the Government’s Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), who have just announced that £553m has been made available through Phase 3a of PSDS to 160 public sector organisations across the country. This funding is the first part of an overall £1.425 billion due to be allocated through Phase 3 over next three years until 2025.

We’ve worked closely with our clients to navigate them through the PSDS 3 application process, helping secure 13% of the total funding amount for 9 projects across a range of public sector organisations, including NHS trusts and law courts.

Business and Energy Minister, Lord Callanan, said:

“Using cleaner technology to heat our civic buildings is helping to shield public sector organisations from costly fossil fuels, especially at a time of high global prices. This funding will bring significant savings for taxpayers of well over half a billion pounds each year by making public buildings cheaper to run, heat and cool, whilst supporting economic growth and jobs across the country.”

The next round of applications to the scheme – Phase 3b – are expected to open in September this year.

Vital Energi has a proven track record securing PSDS funding for new and existing public sector clients and is engaged in the delivery of over £200m of carbon reduction projects in the public sector through the support of the PSDS funding initiative.

“Early engagement from an energy services specialist like Vital to develop a range of projects suitable for funding under this kind of initiative, and being in a position to make a successful application at the earliest opportunity, is very important,” said Ashley Malin.

“Having a delivery partner is an essential factor in the evaluation carried out by Salix Finance. From the projects we’ve been involved in, public bodies who can demonstrate that their projects are well developed and they have a partner in place to deliver the project on time and within budget, with a recognised route through procurement, are more likely to be successful in securing PSDS funding.”

With PSDS Phase 3b fast approaching, please contact us for further information or to discuss a project you have in mind.