Renewable Energy
Biomass
The Park has been using a Dragon Biomass boiler for some years to convert some of the daily waste into hot water, and a larger system is being installed. This new unit is based around a Froling 80 Kw boiler made in Austria, and fitted into a bespoke plant room feeding a number of our animal houses via insulated underground hot water pipes. This unit will feed a new flamingo house, the bottom monkey house, our anteater and sloth houses, plus the off-show quarantine area and our new nocturnal house which to date has been off-exhibit but will be opened for the 2016 season.
The Froling boiler makes highly efficient use of a wood pellet fuel, and is positively encouraged by new Government legislation following the 2008 Energy Act. The fuel pellets used by the Park's boiler system are made from compressed sawdust waste which is a by-product of wood-shaving production for the horse-racing industry around Newmarket. Only sustainably grown timber is used, and is sourced locally from Elveden Forest in Suffolk.
Our commitment to responsible renewable energy generation is taken further by the director’s house and the new hand-wash station being heated by air-source heat pumps. Two new zoo keepers cottages being constructed near to the main entrance will also feature this heat system along with solar p-v panels on their roofs.
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Biomass Boiler, installation inevitably meant some site upheaval as the new under-ground heat mains were installed
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Biomass Boiler, under-ground heat main installation
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Biomass Boiler, installation. Making good the site means that there is not much to see when the trenches are all filled in!
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Biomass Boiler, foundation pads for the plant room, and the fuel store which holds 7 tons of fuel and needs filling up twice each year. More entries and details will follow soon.
