Biomass Case Study
About The Watershed
The Watershed, Leisure Centre, Kilkenny where WoodCo installed a 500kW Biomass Boiler. WoodCo completed a case study on this leisure centre.
The Watershed has established itself as an excellent facility and a very significant enhancement to Kilkenny’s sport and leisure infrastructure. The multiple usage and visitor numbers which have grown from 350,000 to 600,000 per annum are testimony to the wisdom of the initial investment decision. WoodCo are showcasing this leisure centre as a biomass case study.
The Watershed is a limited company, and the CEO is Tina Dowling. They have fifty employees and serve a diverse range of members, pay as you go customers, schools, clubs, and sports organizations. Open since 2008, the facility is the largest multi-use sports facility in the region for the benefit of the community. The Watershed are mandated by the Council to achieve annual operational financial self-sufficiency and receive no subvention towards their operating expenses.
A WoodCo SUPERMAX Boiler.
The Vision:
The Watershed require a large quantity of heat (1650mwh) for its swimming pool and leisure centre. They were previously using gas which had become very expensive, was subject to carbon tax and they wanted to switch to a renewable source of heat.
The Solution:
WoodCo supplied a 500kW Wood Chip Boiler as part of an ESCO agreement. This means The Watershed pays for the heat it uses at an agreed price as part of a 15-year ESCO agreement and WoodCo own and maintain the boiler. Renewable heat is benchmarked against current gas prices and is guaranteed to be cheaper than gas. The Watershed had no capital outlay. The wood chip is sourced locally and delivered every 2 weeks. The Watershed requires 500 tonnes of wood chip per annum. This results in savings of 300 tonnes of CO2 per annum.
The Watershed Biomass Boiler Room & wood chip fuel store. On the left hand side the hatch opens and the wood chip delivery tips the load into the bunker.
To find out more about this Biomass Case Study, get in touch with WoodCo today!
sales@woodco-energy.com
