T2 Energy Centre

The T2 Energy Centre is a biomass-fuelled combined heating and power (CHP) station at Heathrow Airport in London, England, which opened in December 2012.[1] It provides electricity and heat to Terminal 2 and Terminal 5.

Operation

The energy centre, which has a CHP base heating load of 9 MW (thermal) and a biomass CHP power output of 1.8 MW (electric),[2] took its first delivery of woodchip fuel in November 2012.

The Energy Centre uses 25,000 tonnes of woodchips a year, which is sourced within a 100-mile radius of Heathrow airport from sustainable woodlands such as the WWT London Wetland Centre in Barnes, London and Richmond Park[3] in order to reduce haulage requirements, costs and CO2 emissions.[4] The resulting ash is recycled and used to make fertiliser for local agriculture and manufacturing, eliminating the need to send the ash to landfill. Heathrow claims that the wood fuel process will enable it to save at least 13,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, compared with producing the same output from natural gas, and to reduce its carbon footprint by 34 per cent by 2020.[5] The electricity generated will be fed back into the local grid.

Award

In September 2012, the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply awarded Heathrow Airport Limited for 'Best Contribution to Corporate Responsibility' with regard to the energy plant.[6]

References
  1. "Heathrow's T2 new Energy Centre that opened December 2012" (Press release). LC Energy. 2013. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013.
  2. "Creating Renewable Heat and Energy for Terminal 2" (Press release). Morgansindall.com. 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  3. "Heathrow Terminal 2 to be powered by woodchip biomass – with dubious and extravagant "green" claims" (Press release). Airport Watch. 2014.
  4. "LC Energy wins 15 year woodchip contract at London Heathrow Airport" (Press release). LC Energy. 10 January 2011. Archived from the original on 18 October 2013.
  5. "Heathrow's ground-breaking sustainable energy centre recognised in awards" (Press release). Heathrow Airport Limited. 28 September 2012. Archived from the original on 18 November 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  6. ADS Advance (2 October 2012). "Heathrow's T2 energy centre wins CIPS award" (Press release). ADS Advance. Retrieved 30 January 2013.

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