Cochran was previously using oil for space heating at its site in Newbie, Scotland, but opted to switch to LNG to facilitate the development of a proposed R&D centre. LNG is now used for space heating at the boiler manufacturer’s site, as well as for powering the boilers to be tested at Cochran’s R&D facility.
The conversion process was carried out by Calor’s sister company PrimaLNG and involved supplying a 20,000-litre LNG unit, supported by vaporisers that offer extra power when demand increases.
Cochran trains over 500 employees and commercial customers annually, and the R&D centre will enhance training while facilitating further product development. Training provided includes the Combustion Engineering Association’s BOAS (Boiler Operation Accreditation Scheme) and I-GAS (Industrial Gas Operations Accreditation Scheme) programmes.
Following some civil works to accommodate the storage tank and adapting the site’s steam boiler to use LNG fuel, the conversion was completed in September 2016. As a result, Cochran is saving £12,000 a year, as well as cutting CO2 emissions by 28% – or 169 tonnes – annually too.
David Branch, business development manager at Cochran, explains: “We had been looking for greener fuel alternatives for a long time before deciding on LNG. The majority of boilers we manufacture are fuelled by gas and, when considered alongside the environmental and cost advantages LNG has over oil, it made commercial sense for us to introduce LNG as our fuel partner of choice.
“We have been really pleased with the savings realised after converting our site to LNG, and were delighted by Calor’s service and support during and after this process. We look forward to working together in future.”
Kevin Houlden, business development manager at Calor, adds: “LNG is a highly efficient fuel with even greater calorific value than propane gas, offering an impressive output of 15.2 kWh per kg. LNG also emits up to a third less carbon dioxide than oil or diesel-based products, depending on the application.
“This makes it an attractive proposition that is both more cost-effective and environmentally superior to oil-based alternatives. For manufacturers such as Cochran, conversion to LNG can greatly impact their bottom line while improving environmental performance, as has been shown here.”