Alternative Heat delivers biomass heating solutions for three Wexford schools

Alternative Heat has completed its scope of works on three prefabricated biomass boiler plantrooms delivered as part of the Schools Energy Pathfinder Programme 2024 in Wexford.

The projects at Enniscorthy Community College, Gorey Community School and St Peter’s College will provide lower-carbon, energy-efficient heating through the use of biomass wood pellets, supporting the wider programme’s decarbonisation objectives.

Three sites, 740kW of biomass heating capacity

Alternative Heat was appointed as the packaged plantroom contractor for the design, build and installation of three prefabricated biomass boiler plantrooms and associated fuel storage installations.

The projects at Enniscorthy Community College, Gorey Community School and St Peter’s College comprise biomass boiler installations of 300kW, 230kW and 210kW respectively, together providing 740kW of combined biomass heating capacity.

Each installation also incorporates a 14-tonne fuel storage solution, with the design adapted to suit the individual requirements of each school, using Alternative Heat’s framing system with external cladding designed to complement the biomass plantrooms.

Prefabricated solutions for live school environments

The plantrooms were prefabricated as part of Alternative Heat’s packaged approach, allowing the installations to be developed and coordinated before being delivered to site.

With the works taking place within live school environments, construction activities were planned around school holiday periods to minimise disruption to school operations.

This approach allowed the three projects to progress while taking account of the practical requirements of each school and the need to minimise impact on staff and students.

Supporting lower-carbon heating

The new biomass installations will use wood pellets to provide efficient heating for the schools, helping to reduce reliance on gas-fired boilers by approximately 90% and support the transition towards lower-carbon heat.

The projects form part of a 15-year local energy supply contract, providing a longer-term framework for the supply and operation of the heating systems.

A maintenance agreement is also in place covering planned and reactive maintenance and spare parts, supporting the ongoing operation and performance of the installations beyond the initial construction phase.

Project delivery

Alternative Heat has now completed its scope of works across all three locations, with the projects progressing towards final integrated system testing, and handover as part of the wider scheme.

The three projects demonstrate Alternative Heat’s ability to deliver prefabricated energy infrastructure across multiple live sites, combining offsite manufacturing with site-specific solutions to meet the requirements of each location.

The work forms part of Alternative Heat’s wider experience in delivering offsite and prefabricated solutions that support energy efficiency and decarbonisation across the built environment.