Credit Union Co-op Aquatic Centre CHP Project

OVERVIEW

As part of the Action Centre’s Recreation Energy Conservation Program, the Town of Rocky Mountain House completed an installation of two 35 kW combined heat and power (CHP) units and installed two new 800,000 BTU boilers.

The project was completed in September 2020.

What is CHP?

Also known as cogeneration, CHP systems merge the production of usable heat and electricity into a single process that can substantially reduce carbon emissions and energy costs. These systems integrate an internal combustion engine, an electricity generator, and heat recovery to generate electricity and supplement heating demand. This method captures heat that would be otherwise wasted and uses it to heat a building or provide hot water.

APPROACH

Rocky Mountain House applied for funding to purchase two CHP units for their aquatic centre.

They purchased these units because the combined heat and power units generate electricity for onsite use while recovering heat from the generation process to be used for pool heating. Electricity generated by the new units will displace power previously purchased from the grid. Heat recovered will displace gas consumption, and the two high-efficiency boilers enable efficient use of natural gas.

RESULTS

Installation of these units will cut the facility-related emissions by roughly 25% and cut annual energy costs by roughly 40%, a savings of almost $40,000 per year on utility fees.

Here’s what Tammy Burke, Mayor of Rocky Mountain House, says about participating in the Recreation Energy Conservation Program:

“For heating the pools and building, powering ventilation, air conditioning, and lighting, we were paying over $100,000 per year in utilities. With the installation of the CHP and two high-efficiency boilers, we have cut that nearly in half. The CHP project is saving money and greenhouse gas emissions. Thank you to all of our partners for this important step forward for our community.”

Tammy Burke, Mayor, Rocky Mountain House