Skip to content

Case

Bioenergy

Biomass

Energy efficiency in industry

Producing Greens With Green Energy

9. February 2017

Solution provider

Linka Group
More from Linka Group

Want to see this solution first hand?

Add the case to your visit request and let us know that you are interested in visiting Denmark

In 2016 our British partner, Manco Energy, delivered two Linka biomass plants for Glen Avon Growers in East England. With two new systems, the English vegetable producer can heat up their glasshouses with cheap, CO2 neutral biofuel.

Background

Glen Avon Growers is a large producer of tomatoes and cucumbers based in the eastern part of England near Hull. The plants are grown in 42,000 m2 glasshouses, where a constant temperature is needed.

Due to the British Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Glen Avon decided to switch from using gas to using biofuel.

Manco Energy has delivered two biomass plants for Glen Avon, a straw plant and a wood chips plant. The heat from the plants is used for heating up their glasshouses at two different sites.

Earlier the vegetable grower used gas as main fuel but by switching to biofuel they are able so reduce heating costs, as biofuel is significantly cheaper.

The solution

The straw plant at Glen Avon consists of a Linka straw shredder installed with a 12 meter conveyor. Particularly for this plant is the addition of a rubber belt and heightened sides on the conveyor. This way, the conveyor can be filled with wood chips (or other granulated fuel) as a supplement to straw.

The 1,500 kW Linka H boiler (rated 995 kW) has a built-in step grate. Along with Linka’s patented combustion technology this ensures optimal use of the fuel. The ash is automatically transported outside the plant to a nearby ash pit. Due to its size, the pit can hold a large amount of ash and only needs to be emptied 1-3 times a year.

The straw system is also equipped with a bag filter, which cleans the flue gas and hereby reduces dust emissions.

A second plant was delivered for Glen Avon in the autumn of 2016. This too is a fully automated system with a 1,500 kW Linka H boiler (rated 995 kW) for wood chips. The plant is equipped with a PLC control system that monitors the plant and sends out alarms via internet and SMS.

The wood chips are stored on a 40 m2 walking floor. The fuel is automatically transported via augers to the boiler. The second boiler is also constructed with a step grate and Linka’s patented combustion technology, as well as automated ash transport to the separate ash container.

Specifications

Customer: Glen Avon Growers
Fuel type: Straw and wood chips
Plant size: 2 x 1,500 kW (rated 995 kW)
Plant type: Hot water plant