Keelings are a multinational company focused on growing, sourcing, shipping, marketing and distributing fresh produce from services around the world for Irish, UK, and European consumers. Their products include fresh fruit, salads, vegetables, flowers, and logistics services. In 2009, Keeling’s approached Edina with a requirement to increase efficiencies, reduce energy costs and generate additional income.
Key benefits
CHP unit reduces energy costs
Co2 used as a fertiliser in greenhouses
CHP Reduces Energy Costs For Irish Grower Keelings
Keelings are a multinational company focused on growing, sourcing, shipping, marketing and distributing fresh produce from services around the world for Irish, UK, and European consumers. Their products include fresh fruit, salads, vegetables, flowers, and logistics services. In 2009, Keeling’s approached Edina with a requirement to increase efficiencies, reduce energy costs and generate additional income.
Scope of Works
At the end of 2009, and after a detailed tendering process, Edina was appointed as the supplier of the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system for two of the large greenhouses in Keeling’s. The electrical and thermal requirements for the site were discussed with the contractor and the optimal unit was selected from the Edina CHP range.
The CHP unit will help mitigate some of the effects of increasing energy costs and carbon taxes for Keeling’s, generate an additional revenue stream from electricity sales to the grid, and provide them with a source of CO2 to fertilise their crop.
Heat, power and CO2 recovery
The site was designed with the produce of the company in mind. So Edina constructed and positioned the exhaust circuit in order that the cooled and purified carbon dioxide flue gases can be ducted into two of Keeling’s greenhouses. CO2 increases photosynthesis thereby improving productivity of the crops within the greenhouse. The unit selected in this case has class leading efficiencies and extremely low emissions. The emissions are so low that it is in fact safe for Keeling’s staff to carry out operations inside the greenhouses when the unit is dosing flue gases to the greenhouse.
Project challenges
Initially, the site was examined by Edina, and drawings of the site layout were produced. The most suitable location for the CHP on-site and other additional features were then discussed amongst the engineers in Edina and with the contractors at Keelings. Edina liaised with the customer and suppliers all the way through the project, and dealt with any changes or issues that arose. This new plant will be maintained and serviced by the service engineers at Edina’s Dublin office.
Plant monitoring
The system consists of a 2MWe MWM TCG 2020 V20 natural gas fuelled engine coupled with an advanced exhaust gas cleaning system known as Selective Catalyst Reduction. It comes complete with a sophisticated control unit known as the Total Energy Management (TEM – Evo) system. This unit reads and collects all control variables associated with the operation of the CHP and changes its output for smooth operation and optimised efficiency. This entire control system was supplied on site by Edina.
If you are looking to take control of your energy needs and produce power close to the point of use, we would love to hear about your project requirements and help power your future. If you would like to discuss your project, please contact us.
