Vital Energi Migration Prototyping

Category: Uncategorized

  • Vital Enters Peaking Plants Market with AMP Clean Energy Award Win

    Vital Enters Peaking Plants Market with AMP Clean Energy Award Win

    

    Vital Energi Enters Peaking Plants Market with AMP Clean Energy Award Win

    Vital Energi has reached a £4m agreement with AMP Clean Energy to design and build five Urban Reserve gas-fired electrical generator peaking plants across the UK with a total of 17MW of power, and with further projects planned.

    The peaking plants will generate flexible electricity using gas fired gensets to provide extra resilience and capacity to the local electricity grid, and support the local District Network Operators in achieving their targets. The plants will come online when alternative renewable energy sources are not producing enough electricity, such as solar or wind, and at peak demand periods.

    The decentralised peaking plants, utilising 2MW or 2.5MW gensets as single units, pairs or triples, are designed to both support the growth of intermittent renewables by providing on-demand electricity to keep the system balance, and to help provide additional capacity in places of high demand, such as urban and commercial areas.

    This is a new market for Vital Energi which will see us install our largest capacity of gensets for a single client. After being selected by AMP Clean Energy through competitive tender based on both our price and our previous extensive experience installing gensets, we are delighted to begin our relationship with them on the Urban Reserve scheme and look forward to seeing the projects develop.

    Richard Byers, Vital’s Director of Green Business

    Mark Tarry, Managing Director of AMP Clean Energy’s Urban Reserve division, adds: “It is very exciting to see our Urban Reserve projects progress to the delivery phase, and we are looking forward to working with Vital Energi to help deliver this.  Urban Reserve peaking plants develop flexible electricity to help manage energy demand peaks and ensure security of supply, which will be vital as we move to a net zero future.”

    Work will commence in autumn 2019 and is expected to complete in the first quarter of 2020.

    Industrial & Commercial

  • Join us at The Distributed Energy Show this December

    

    Join us at The Distributed Energy Show this December

    We are excited to be exhibiting at The Distributed Energy Show in Telford on the 8th and 9th December, where we look forward to discussing our energy solutions including decentralised energy generation, energy conservation measures and multi-utility network distribution schemes based on low carbon or zero carbon technologies. 

    Vital Energi continue to produce energy efficient heat and power systems and consumption reduction solutions with long term cost benefits for clients in a broad range of markets including Healthcare, Education, Industrial, Commercial, Residential, and Local Authority.

    In addition to our exhibition space at the conference, Chief Strategy Officer, Nick Gosling, will join Dr Joel Hamilton and Tim Ward from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to discuss Heat Network Innovations in Conference Room 2 on Wednesday 8th September at 12 noon.

    Come and see us on stand 1609 – to register for your free ticket please visit The Distributed Energy Show website here.

    Alternatively, if you’d like to get in touch to discuss how we can support you on your decarbonisation journey, please contact us here.

  • Vital Energi Invests in a Sustainable Future With 20 New Apprenticeships

    Vital Energi Invests in a Sustainable Future With 20 New Apprenticeships

    

    Vital Energi Invests in a Sustainable Future With 20 New ‘Green’ Apprenticeships

    Vital Energi today marked a milestone in its investment in the future of decarbonisation, with the announcement of plans to recruit 20 new apprentices in 2021.  The company is committed to developing the key industry skills needed to achieve net zero and create a sustainable workforce of the future, as well as helping tackle the post-Covid economic recovery across the UK.

    The program will support the wider goals set out by the UK Government’s 10 point green recovery plan to create 250,000 clean energy jobs in the industry. Vital Energi specialises in low/zero carbon energy generation and heat networks which will play an increasingly important role in meeting the UK’s net zero objectives.  Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, The Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, recently called for up to £1billion of investment in the industry by 2030.

    There can be no denying that the last 12 months have been immensely challenging for everyone. Announcing the creation of these roles during National Apprenticeship Week will be a welcome boost to many local communities, young people and education centres throughout the UK. As we begin to build the sustainable workforce of the future, our apprenticeships are a fantastic way for both school leavers and graduates to forge exciting new career paths in clean energy. The bespoke skills and experiences we can offer will be vital to meeting growing demand for low carbon technologies and helping local authorities meet their net zero targets.

    Rob Callaghan, Vital Energi’s Managing Director London & South

    As part of the ambitious Vital Energi Training Centre and its well established apprentice programme, the company has already employed its first Building Services Design Technician apprentice, Alex Spencer, under the new initiative.  The creation of this new role will allow Vital Energi to meet growing demand from new and existing clients by linking green ambition with new talent.

    Alex is studying through Liverpool City College and has been recruited locally to work on local projects, creating local jobs and supporting the local community. One of the projects Alex is working on is Peel L&P’s Liverpool Waters as part of a £5 billion regeneration project to transform the city’s northern docks. The project will provide heat both for homes and commercial space connected to Peel L&P’s Mersey Heat district heat network, with the potential for 9,000 homes to benefit from the software over the coming years.

    Alex Spencer, Vital Energi’s newest recruit said: “I wanted to be a part of a community that makes the planet a greener place.  I am excited to be joining the company at such a pivotal time for the whole world as we look for new solutions to tackle climate change. Its amazing reputation, makes Vital Energi a great place to learn the skills I need for a successful career in clean energy.”

    Vital Energi is looking to recruit apprentices to all areas of the business, site and office based, from design engineers through to project delivery engineers and operational engineers as well as support service opportunities.

    Training of recruits will be done through a blended system of online and classroom learning at the company’s new £2m state-of-the-art training academy.  Currently training is delivered online during the national lockdown.

    Vital Energi’s training academy aims to be a ‘centre for excellence’ and has been designed to provide hands-on product training as well integrating with courses at other universities and colleges with practical and theoretical education.

    The company has purpose-built two district heating demonstration trenches which will be used to educate students and existing employees about techniques such as jointing and welding pipes, insulation processes and moisture control.

    Training on buried underground services and smart end user products including heat interface units, metering and billing electronic platforms is available in the centre where all products are displayed for demonstration and have dedicated areas for testing new products.

    The facility will also benefit Vital Energi’s existing employees by providing engineers and designers with skills development opportunities and state-of-the-art collaboration areas.

    Colleges and universities are invited to collaborate with Vital Energi to develop further opportunities for students, graduates and the community.

    If you’d like more information on Vital Energi’s apprenticeship scheme please email [email protected]

  • Low-Carbon Future of Enfield Moves A Step Closer

    Low-Carbon Future of Enfield Moves A Step Closer

    

    Low-Carbon Future of Enfield Moves A Step Closer

    60MW energy centre & district heating network receives planning permission.

    Waste heat from the nearby North London Waste Authority (NLWA) Energy Recovery Facility is set to be used to heat homes and businesses in the London Borough of Enfield after Enfield Council approved planning permission for a new 60MW low-carbon energy centre and district heating network.

    The scale of this project makes it a hugely important opportunity for Enfield to lower their CO2 emissions. By harnessing waste heat from the nearby waste to energy plant, thousands of homes and businesses will be heated in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. This is an innovative scheme and we are delighted to have the opportunity to help Energetik with their planning application and look forward to the construction and operation phases of the project.

    Rob Callaghan, Regional Director at Vital Energi

    Energetik employed Vital Energi to submit the planning permission for the Energy Centre, which is located at Advent Way.

    Customers of the new very low carbon energy scheme will include the 82-hectare Meridian Water development which will include 10,000 homes, a new train station, workplaces and open spaces.  The energy centre will connect to the NLWA Energy Recovery Facility once complete in 2026, taking waste heat and distributing it to customers through a highly insulated network of underground district heating pipes.

    The proposed development is located within the Eco Park operated by London Energy Limited (LEL), and in addition to assisting with the planning process, Vital Energi will build the energy centre and heat network. Vital Energi will then provide operation and maintenance on the network and energy centre for a 10-year period.

    In addition to the heat taken from the NLWA, the energy centre will include two 25m high thermal stores, each holding 1,693,000 litres of hot water plus, for resilience and back up, six 10MW boilers installed across three phases. This will provide a highly resilient heating network, ensuring reliable heat and hot water at all times to Energetik’s customers.

    Vital Energi submitted the planning application on behalf of Energetik and employed Stewart Stephenson Architects and structural engineers Buro Happold as part of the professional team.

    Work is scheduled to begin in January 2021 with completion expected in November 2022.

    New build
    Related Work

    Vital Energi awarded £6.8m M&E Package on Phase 2 of Royal Warwick Square

    Vital Energi awarded £6.8m M&E Package on Phase 2 of Royal Warwick Square

  • Delivering £17m Energy Infrastructure Package for Nine Elms Park

    Delivering £17m Energy Infrastructure Package for Nine Elms Park

    

    Vital Energi Set to Deliver £17m Energy Infrastructure Package for Nine Elms Park (1)

    Vital Energi have won the £17m contract to deliver the primary energy infrastructure package for the Greystar and Henderson Park, Nine Elms Park plots B and D development which will be situated on the former Royal Mail centre.

    The 14-acre development, which lays between Battersea & Vauxhall, south of the River Thames, will create a total of 894 rental homes in plots B and D with the addition of high spec amenity areas and retail units at ground floor. Each block will be served via their own district heating, chilled and water services plant and the development will be future proofed to enable easy connection to a wider district heating network in the future.

    Rob Callaghan, Regional director for Vital Energi commented, “Not only are Greystar and Henderson Park, with their delivery partner Telford Homes, creating much-needed, high quality rental housing in London, they are doing it with sustainability at its heart. The overall Nine Elms Park development will deliver a vibrant community with a school, retail units and community facilities and at full build out will deliver almost 2,000 new homes where they are needed.

    “This will be a fantastic addition to the Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea Regeneration Area (known as VNEB) and London in general and we look forward to beginning work on this exciting new development.”

    Government estate
  • Low-Carbon Revolution Set to Arrive in Woking

    Low-Carbon Revolution Set to Arrive in Woking

    

    Low-Carbon Revolution Set to Arrive in Woking

    Vital Energi have been awarded a £6.58m contract to deliver ThamesWey Energy’s Woking Power Station project which will create a state-of-the-art Combined Heat & Power energy centre providing low-carbon heating and power to local businesses and residents.

    “This is a fantastic project to be involved in as it will allow Woking to grow and develop in a sustainable way, utilising low-carbon heat to meet the town’s needs. This scheme was designed with long-term growth in mind and will be able to meet Woking’s energy needs well into the future, providing a resilient, low-carbon energy infrastructure.”

    Rob Callaghan, Regional Director for Vital Energi

    When complete, the energy centre will produce enough heat and power to supply the equivalent of 2,500 homes and it’s first customers will be the new Hilton hotel, shops and over 400 apartments currently being delivered as part of the Victoria Square development.  The energy centre has been designed to be both scalable and highly flexible, capable of generating up to 10MW of heat, and adopting progressively lower carbon technologies over the next ten years.

    The energy centre comprises a three-storey building at the junction of Poole Road and Butts Road, with energy plant and equipment based on the ground and first floors and a new headquarters for ThamesWey on the third floor.  The building is being constructed to be capable of upward extension of up to a further 17 stories of co-living space.  When complete the flues from the energy centre will measure 29.3m.

    In addition to initial energy production by Combined Heat & Power engine and generator there will be gas boilers to add resilience and three large thermal stores which will serve the dual purpose of releasing stored heat during peak times of demand and adding an interesting architectural landmark to the development.

    The project is being delivered for ThamesWey by Galliford Try.  The mechanical and engineering consultants on the project are Hulley & Kirkwood and Vital Energi have been working on the project since 2018 and recently won the contract to undertake the mechanical and electrical services installations.

    This energy centre will feed a new low temperature District Heating Network, delivering low-carbon heat to local buildings.  In addition to delivering heat, the energy centre will also provide electricity via an 11kW network within central Woking.

    Government estate
  • Vital Energi to Deliver £17m Energy Infrastructure Package at Nine Elms

    Vital Energi to Deliver £17m Energy Infrastructure Package at Nine Elms

    

    Vital Energi Set to Deliver £17m Energy Infrastructure Package for Nine Elms Park

    Vital Energi have won the £17m contract to deliver the primary energy infrastructure package for the Greystar and Henderson Park, Nine Elms Park plots B and D development which will be situated on the former Royal Mail centre.

    The 14-acre development, which lays between Battersea & Vauxhall, south of the River Thames, will create a total of 894 rental homes in plots B and D with the addition of high spec amenity areas and retail units at ground floor. Each block will be served via their own district heating, chilled and water services plant and the development will be future proofed to enable easy connection to a wider district heating network in the future.

    Not only are Greystar and Henderson Park, with their delivery partner Telford Homes, creating much-needed, high quality rental housing in London, they are doing it with sustainability at its heart. The overall Nine Elms Park development will deliver a vibrant community with a school, retail units and community facilities and at full build out will deliver almost 2,000 new homes where they are needed. This will be a fantastic addition to the Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea Regeneration Area (known as VNEB) and London in general and we look forward to beginning work on this exciting new development.

    Rob Callaghan, Regional Director at Vital Energi

    New build
    Related Work

    Vital Energi awarded £6.8m M&E Package on Phase 2 of Royal Warwick Square

    Vital Energi awarded £6.8m M&E Package on Phase 2 of Royal Warwick Square

  • MEEF Funds Water Source Heat Pumps Supporting Southwark’s Green Recovery

    

    MEEF Funds Heat Pumps Supporting Southwark’s Green Energy Recovery

    The Mayor of London’s Energy Efficiency Fund (‘MEEF’), managed by Amber Fund Management Limited (‘Amber’), has provided £7 million to the London Borough of Southwark (‘Southwark’) to support a highly innovative project to provide low carbon heat to over two thousand homes in the borough. The MEEF finance provides for the installation of Water Source Heat Pumps (‘WSHP’), a renewable and energy efficient technology, to replace existing gas boilers in three housing estates within the borough.

    The project will extract heat from water that occurs naturally below ground using ‘open loop’ supplied Water Source Heat Pumps to increase the temperature and this heat is then fed into a heat network which supplies the heat direct to homes.

    When completed, the WSHP technology will become the primary heat source for the heat networks on the Consort, Newington and Wyndham housing estates supplying low carbon heat to 2,175 homes with no additional costs passed on to the residents. The project will save 1,774 tonnes of CO2e /annum, the equivalent of taking over 1,600 cars off the road, and it is expected to reduce energy usage by over 34% compared to the existing heating systems while also creating 3.4MW of renewable energy. The heat pumps will also make a positive contribution to local air quality by replacing the existing gas boilers, which emit harmful NOx and particulate matter.

    Southwark has procured Vital Energi a district energy specialist, to design, construct and operate the scheme. The project will support up to 45 new jobs with Vital Energi ensuring a number of these roles will be filled by apprentices from within the Borough.

    The scheme supports Southwark and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, in their efforts to tackle the climate emergency. Low carbon district energy projects like this will have an important role to play in the Mayor’s ambitions to make London a zero-carbon city and support the capital’s green recovery.

    Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Shirley Rodrigues said: “Energy used to heat and power homes is responsible for around one third of the capital’s greenhouse gases, so low carbon heating solutions like this project have a crucial role in tackling the climate emergency and making London a zero carbon city by 2030. This is a fantastic example of how we can combine low carbon heat sources and heat networks to supply homes with green and affordable heat. The project also supports the Mayor’s ambition for a green and prosperous recovery, creating the jobs and skills of the future for Londoners and supporting the industries that are crucial to meeting our city’s climate targets.”

    We’re delighted to be introducing this innovative new technology to help improve local air quality and provide reliable, cost effective heating for the people living on our estates. Working with Vital Energi and with finance from the Mayor’s Fund, this decarbonised heating system takes us another step towards carbon neutrality and promises benefits for many local families.

    Cllr Kieron Williams , Cabinet Member for Housing Management

    Pete Radford, Investment Director, Amber Infrastructure, said: “This is MEEF’s first investment in Water Source Heat pumps. With the recent extension of the RHI we hope to support further innovative heat pump projects which contribute towards the much required decarbonisation of heat.”

    Rob Callaghan, Vital Energi, said: “We are proud to be part of such an important project in helping Southwark, London and the UK Government towards our collective goal of a greener, low carbon future. With district heating being technology agnostic, we are able to upgrade the central energy production technology to low carbon sources, in this case Water Source Heat Pumps and with that, using the heat network we can decarbonise 2,175 connected homes.”

    Urban networks
  • A green future for Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

    A green future for Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

    

    Vital Energi shapes a green future for Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

    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.

    “We are delighted to be working with Vital Energi to deliver some key environmental upgrades to our hospitals. Climate change presents a profound and growing threat to people’s health and not only will these exciting projects deliver on carbon savings, but it will also help to contribute to a healthier community.”

    Deborah Lee, Chief Executive , Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

    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).

  • New Energy Platform to Revolutionise Metering & Billing of Heat Networks

    New Energy Platform to Revolutionise Metering & Billing of Heat Networks

    

    New Energy Platform Set to Revolutionise Metering and Billing of Heat Networks

    A new smart energy app and portal that gives heat network customers greater control of their energy consumption and spend has today been launched by Vital Energi, helping service operators at one pilot project to reduce debt by 12.5% in under 6 months.

    Named Glass, the software gives heat network users the visibility and control to better manage their energy and allows users to top-up or pay their bills anytime, anywhere. Additionally, heat network operators can access energy consumption and financial data via a dedicated portal that allows them to better serve customers and optimise network performance.

    Housing associations, local authorities, developers and other service managers can view data across multiple sites as well as individual properties. This can help identify and proactively support residents by providing energy saving and payment advice to reduce debt and ensure bills are paid on time.

    Operators and service managers will be able to send payment reminder alerts and notifications to residents through the app to help aid their financial management, and recent pilot schemes have shown Glass has helped improve revenue collection by up to 44% within weeks of being implemented.

    Since 27th November of this year, the Government’s new Heat Metering & Billing Regulations has ensured that energy customers only pay for what they consume. Glass will give users and operators the ability to view real time consumption data and support operators in achieving compliance.

    Glass has been successfully trialled across four projects being delivered by Vital Energi, and it is currently working with residential rental company UNCLE to support over 200 properties as part of a £100million build-to-rent development at Wembley.

    From early next year, Glass will support 137 homes to manage and reduce their energy use at Peel L&P’s Liverpool Waters as part of a £5 billion regeneration project to transform the city’s northern docks. The project will provide heat both for homes and commercial space connected to Peel L&P’s Mersey Heat district heat network, with the potential for 9,000 homes to benefit from the software over the coming years.

    For more information about Glass, please click here.

    Ian Whitelock, Chief Executive Officer at Vital Energi, said: “Glass integrates our comprehensive district heating expertise and understanding into one user-friendly platform. We’ve already received strong initial feedback from our pilot projects and we’re confident that the app’s functionality is significantly greater than any similar tool in the market. We recognise that, more than ever, people need the ability to manage their energy use effectively, in a manner that is easy to understand and simple to use. For residents who use a pay-as-you-go and credit billing energy supply, the ability to review and pay bills instantly from home using a smart device or online portal is something we’re really proud of. The platform also delivers significant benefits to heat network operators, by providing greater data visibility that improves energy efficiency and reduces debt risk. Glass can be easily retrofitted to properties using our new vPort solution which makes previously difficult data, visible and accessible using modern communication.

    Ian Whitelock, Chief Executive Officer

    Further education