LPG Helps Welsh Water operate first operational gas-to-grid site in Wales

Phil Black - PII Editor 13/06/2016

87 1 minute read

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LPG from Calor Gas is helping Dwr Cymru Welsh Water operate the very first operational gas-to-grid site in Wales, converting the waste at its Five Fords sewerage plant into a source of environmentally friendly energy.

The site, based near Wrexham, uses an on-site anaerobic digestion (AD) plant to produce bio-methane from the huge quantity of sewage it treats each year. As well as burning the gas in an on-site Combined Heat and Power (CHP) unit, the company has invested in a gas-to-grid plant.

By blending Calor LPG with its biomethane it can produce gas with a high enough calorific value to qualify for injection into mains gas grid – thereby making a contribution of sustainable energy to thousands of domestic homes and businesses.

This doesn’t just provide a boost to Welsh Water’s commitment to sustainability, it also helps it keep operational costs down which in turn helps keep bills low for customers.

Choosing LPG

The tanks remain the property of Calor, meaning that Welsh Water does not need to invest its time or resources into maintenance, and has peace of mind that the equipment is being properly maintained.

To make the ordering of gas simple for the customer, the tanks are fitted with Calor’s automatic top-up system, which regularly monitors gas levels via a contents gauge, and alerts the Calor team when the tank requires a top up so a timely delivery can be scheduled.

The gas-to-grid system is part of a major initiative from Welsh Water, which aims to make the Five Fords site the company’s biggest renewable energy site. As well as biomethane it has also invested in solar panels and the pre-existing CHP engines, and is exploring further renewable energy technologies for the future.