South West College is the first educational institution in Ireland to sign a unique ‘heat contract' with green energy company Rural Generation based in Londonderry.

The contract will help the college save up to £25,000 on heat costs annually.

The college, which houses its own Renewable Energy Academy at the Omagh campus, installed a biomass boiler in 2006. The biomass boiler supplied approximately 25% of the building’s heat requirement with the remaining 75% being provided by oil boilers.

Impressed with the success of this boiler, South West College purchased a second larger - 250 kW KWB - biomass boiler, six months ago, which was also installed by Rural Generation, bringing the total biomass capacity to 400 kW. Now up to 70% of the college’s heat requirement, which includes space heating and hot water for a 15,000 square metre campus, including classrooms, workshops, library, canteens, common areas, corridors and offices, is provided by biomass.

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John Moore, Curriculum Manager of Technology at South West College said: "Our boilers use approximately 350 tonnes of wood chip from short rotation coppice willow grown locally and they are very reliable. Our heat contract with Rural Generation works very well for us and we are very happy indeed with the savings we have made on heating costs. Using biomass energy has also helped us reduce the building’s carbon footprint, as our carbon dioxide savings are estimated to be over 400 tonnes per year, and is a good learning resource for our students, especially as we teach renewable technology at the college. It also of course provides a local market for biomass fuel."

Tom Brennan, Managing Director, Rural Generation added: "It is great to see a local college lead by example with renewable technology and we are delighted that South West College has signed a biomass heat contract with ourselves. This type of contract works really well for customers such as schools or colleges as it reduces the risk by guaranteeing a long-term wood fuel supply.

"It also makes the system of supply and maintenance virtually hassle free for the customer, as we look after every aspect and sell them the heat, based on per kWh of heat used. Overall it’s a win-win situation for everyone."

(NS/GK)