Balcas wins contract to provide brites wood pellets to Government buildings across Northern Ireland

(02/06/2010)

Balcas has won an important new contract to provide eco-friendly brites wood pellets to five Government buildings across Northern Ireland.

The buildings to benefit from the carbon neutral brites include: Stormont Stables, within the Stormont Estate, Belfast (Department of Finance & Personnel); Inishkeen House, Killyhevlin Industrial Estate, Enniskillen (DARD Agricultural Offices); DVTA Test Centre, Chanterhill, Enniskillen (DVA and Planning Service); Academy House, Broughshane St, Ballymena (Water Service, Northern Division, and the Rates Collection Agency); CAFRE Greenmount Campus, Antrim.

The conversion of these buildings to wood fired heating is part of a wider Government initiative to assess the viability of a variety of renewable technologies.

Paula Keelagher, brites market development manager for Ireland, comments: “We are delighted to welcome these Government buildings to our growing list of public sector customers who have recognised the important financial and environmental benefits to be gained from switching to brites.’’

“Wood pellets are a cheaper and cleaner alternative to oil or gas and brites, made from Irish sawdust, have offered tremendous price security over the past three years, in what has been a hugely volatile energy market. We are confident that this switch will result in substantial savings of up to £22,000 per year in energy costs and will also significantly help reduce local Government’s carbon footprint too!”

Paula continues: “Our brites wood fuel is used in over 3,800 boilers, heating and providing hot water to a wide range of domestic and commercial customers, and is quickly becoming the preferred fuel for many public sector organisations and buildings due to the many advantages to be gained from their use – particularly the cost savings which comes with its usage.”

The Stormont Stables, situated in the grounds of Stormont Castle and managed by the Department of Finance & Personnel have recently had a new 100KW, KWB wood pellet boiler installed by Rural Generation Ltd. This is being used to heat Ministerial offices, newly refurbished office space in the old Stable block and also the existing office complex where workers provide support to the First and Deputy First Ministers.

Martyn Scott, energy and sustainability manager in DFP Properties Division commented: “DFP is pleased to have completed this supply agreement with Balcas and we look forward to assessing the impact that this new technology will have in terms of both cost and sustainability”.

Related categories:  Boilers - Commercial