This innovative system consists of a 1.5MW biomass boiler, powering an ORC-based cogeneration unit able to produce up to 150kW electric and 450kW thermal power for building heating and electrical needs. The greatest innovation provided by BRICKER is the cogeneration unit itself, since it is the first ORC-based technology with this power range serving a public building heating system. Its manufacturer, the Spanish company RANK, is a partner of the project.
The BRICKER cogeneration system is expected to cover up to 40% of the building’s heating demand, which will take the strain off the existing gas-based boilers during the heating season and will provide electricity over the summer months. This heating base load will save around 850 tons of CO2 per year.
The system is due to be completed and commissioned by mid-2017. The Province of Liège owns and building and is funding most of the funds to renovate it (the building envelope is also being improved with innovative technologies). Further backing for this novel heating system comes from the EU-funded BRICKER project led by ACCIONA Infrastructures, a project which runs from October 2013 to April 2018.
28 December 2016
Photo: Biomass boiler assembly works, December 2016
Top left photo: View of the new biomass boiler chimney