Burner and combustion firm Nu-way is conducting biofuel heating trials to determine the effectiveness of biofuel adoption in schools.
Nu-way, part of the Enertech group with a global headquarters in Droitwich, Worcestershire, is working with Worcestershire County Council on a series of long-term biodiesel heating development and replacement trials.

The first trial, at Chase Technology College in Malvern, involved a Nu-Way NDFL 15 burner being modified to accept a range of biodiesel and bio-oils before being refitted to the existing 450kW boiler. The trial involves running one boiler on a 20 per cent renewable oil blend, which will immediately reduce carbon emissions by 20 per cent at no additional fuel cost.

Various blends of biofuels, including B20 (80% diesel and 20% rape seed oil, are being used in the trials.

Performance of the burner and boiler are being closely monitored to assess effectiveness and potential long-term issues arising from the technology's use.

'Our initial trials at the Chase School utilising an 80:20 blend, delivers a significant reduction in the production of greenhouse gases', said James Sopwith, managing director for Nu-way.

Speaking about the trials ahead, he said: 'This is an extremely exciting project for both Nu-way and WCC and we are confident the results will show what can be achieved in terms of carbon emission reduction with a small amount of equipment modification and in turn, low capital cost outlay', he added.

With more than 70 years experience in the heating and combustion sector, Nu-way announced its entry into the renewable energy market earlier this year.

Biofuels can be up to 100% vegetable oil and therefore providing a renewable, clean and reliable source. The County Council has been involved in many projects aimed at reducing carbon emissions produced by buildings that it maintains. These include the ground-source heating system at the new Redhill Primary School and the woodfuel burner at county hall itself.

The council will run one boiler on bio-diesel throughout this coming winter. It also hopes to try higher percentage blends of bio-oil (up to 100 per cent carbon free) as the technology develops. If all of the schools maintained by the county council switched their oil-fired burners to use 20 per cent bio-diesel, it would reduce our carbon dioxide emissions by more than 100 tonnes a year.

Phil Harris, county council chief engineer, said “We’re already seeing bio-diesel becoming available for road vehicles, and we want to see if it can be used economically in heating boilers in the council’s schools. Working with The Chase will give us important operational experience so we can make sure new greener fuels have no long-term impacts on the reliability of the schools’ heating boilers.”