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Climate change Calor, Great Britain 6/19/2018

Calor GB – upgrading boilers for energy efficiency

As Calor GB’s largest import facility, the Canvey Island import terminal is vital to its supply chain. It is a large site, containing six double skin storage tanks, each with 5000 tonnes of capacity designed to store LPG at minus 163 degrees Celsius. It is also an important part of Calor GB's distribution chain on British soil. Built in the 1960s, it still has a retro vibe, complete with a traditional red phone box and typical 60s-style buildings. And along with Immingham, it is one of Calor GB’s beating hearts, running 365 days a year.

Replacing old boilers with a greener solution

One of the site’s other original features is the boiler house and, up until recently, its contents. The two boilers inside were decades old, and while they worked hard to help move and store LPG, they were also operating at an estimated 50% efficiency level. They have now been replaced with a more modern, more efficient and greener solution. The new boilers have features such as flue gas condensers, economisers and condensate systems, all of which will help lead to very high efficiency. Just as importantly, the new energy system removes the need for natural gas and diesel for the boilers by using LPG boil-off (which previously had been re-liquefied – also an energy intensive process). Finally, an energy management system will enable Calor to closely monitor how the boilers and other pieces of equipment are operating to optimise efficiency.


From data to design

So, how did this become a reality? The Calor GB National Engineering Team had been looking for ways to improve energy efficiency at Canvey for a number of years. A recent green light from SHV Energy to help with investment allowed the new boilers to become a reality. The team worked with energy consultants, using data from the site’s energy monitoring equipment to understand energy consumption. The consultants were employed on an Energy Services Company (ESCO) contract – which means that they were not just designing a new mechanical and electrical system, but were instead designing an entirely new energy system. Their proposal, based on the information gleaned from the energy data, should ensure that the new system saves energy. In fact, they are so confident of achieving these savings that it is written into their contract: if the energy saved (in £) is less than they have guaranteed, they will pay Calor the difference.


Now that’s a commitment to saving energy.