Vital Energi and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust have entered into a 15-year partnership which will generate energy savings of £2.5m a year at St James Hospital.
The contract is a turnkey solution providing design, build, operation, and maintenance services for the hospital.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is one of the largest health organisations in Europe, employing almost 18,000 people.
It has an existing 20-year-old combined heat and power gas turbine energy centre which was due for replacement and Vital is proposing a more-efficient and cost-effective solution.
Following extensive analysis of the trust’s requirements, Vital identified that opting for a 4.5MWe CHP engine as an alternative to a replacement gas turbine would deliver greater efficiencies for the hospital, and provide a more-cost-effective energy supply.
Due to the 24/7 nature of the hospital’s environment, we have designed a careful implementation schedule to alleviate disruptions on daily operation
As the energy partner, Vital has provided the finance for the £8.4m project, which will eventually fund itself through the guaranteed savings of £2.5m a year, allowing the hospital to benefit straight away without committing capital expenditure.
The scope of works will see Vital operate the existing energy centre for a period of around six months before refurbishing it with newer and more-efficient equipment, as well as adapting existing infrastructure to cater for the additional low-temperature hot water which will be provided from the CHP.
The build is set to be completed by June next year, with Vital providing assurances by committing to delivering energy savings from this point.
Phil Mottershead, account director at Vital Energi, said: “Due to the 24/7 nature of the hospital’s environment, we have designed a careful implementation schedule to alleviate disruptions on daily operation.
“We look forward to delivering the scheme and working in partnership with the trust over the next 15 years.”
Mick Taylor, the trust’s project manager, added that the efficiencies the project will deliver will not only bring financial savings on the current energy budget, but will also reduce the carbon emissions of the site, which will contribute to making Leeds a cleaner city.
Due to the close proximity to Vital’s Leeds PIPES District Heating Network, there is also the possibility of connecting to the hospital’s network in the future to provide further benefits.