Spotlight on energy projects
EECA follows and shares the progress of clean and clever energy projects around New Zealand, particularly if we have contributed co-funding to the project.
Clean energy fuel switch cuts emissions
Auckland-based Rainbow Park Nurseries has recently commissioned its high temperature hot water heat pump project to generate heating from electricity instead of gas.
The project should cut the nursery’s overall emissions by 1,190 tonnes each year and uses a thermal energy store (TES) and CO2 heat pumps to meet the peak daily heating demand of the site.
Each of the site’s two glasshouses is equipped with 16 x 30kW heat pumps (480kW) and a 30,000-litre hot water tank. Using off-peak electricity reduces energy costs, while the TES allowed for smaller heat pumps and a reduced peak power demand, lowering capital costs for local HV network upgrades.
The team say so far the heat pumps are performing well, run quietly and the project has significantly improved temperature control in each heating zone. With the addition of return water temperature sensors and variable speed drives (VSD) to each circuit, the team can now more accurately track the heating costs for each glasshouse zone. This means they can better monitor energy expenses and manage energy use more efficiently.
The increase in gas prices has further amplified the energy cost savings associated with this project.
Clean alternatives to fossil-fuelled heat plants
If your organisation is interested in transitioning to clean energy, check out our insights on clean alternatives to fossil fuelled heat plants.