A leisure centre in Bristol slashed the heating bill for its main pool to zero this summer after installing innovative solar thermal technology.
WITH rising energy costs threatening the future of pools across the UK, a pilot project has resulted in a 100 per cent reduction in heating costs for a community pool in Bristol. The city council invested £89,000 in the scheme, which saw renewable energy company Solarsense install 800 thermal solar tubes at Easton Leisure Centre to heat the 25m x 13m main pool, which was previously heated by gas. Installed on the flat roof of the pool hall this spring, the solar thermal array absorbs the sun’s energy and transfers the heat generated into the centre’s existing hot water storage. Within six weeks, the Everyone Active-operated centre reported that the main swimming pool’s heating bill had been reduced to zero. The centre believes it saves 6p per kwh every hour the solar thermal is working. The technology will also help the leisure centre to save almost 13 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere - a typical leisure centre produces approximately 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
Cuts Bills Even In Winter
Bristol City Council commissioned the pilot project to reduce the centre’s carbon footprint in advance of further planned installations across the city. Taking around three months to install, the clean energy technology can be integrated into existing systems and creates cost savings of up to 60 per cent less energy to heat water and up to 35 per cent less energy for space heating, alongside reduced consumption of fossil fuels and no CO2 emissions during operation. Stephen Barrett, founder and MD of Solarsense, says that while the technology has been used for smaller scale facilities, it’s been underused so far in the UK for bigger operations like leisure centres. “This technology, we know, has the ability to make an ongoing and very powerful difference - cutting energy bills in even the darkest winter months when the solar supply can simply be topped up with gas,” he explains. “It has the potential to pay for itself multiple times over the course of its life and we’re thrilled Easton Leisure Centre, based in the heart of this busy community and serving some 40,000 people each month, will be the ones to showcase that.” The timing of the scheme meant it that it launched as the leisure sector was being hit by the energy crisis. “With gas prices at record levels, the length of the payback period will be much shorter than previously. Once the initial outlay has been covered savings will continue for the lifetime of the system - estimated to be around 20 years,” says Barrett. The solar thermal system will contribute heat to the pool system all year round, but heat demand will vary according to the season. In the spring and summer it should provide all the heat required without the need for gas but in the darker, colder winter months it can be topped up with gas. “We haven’t used gas to heat the main pool water since the system was installed,” says Noel Hickman, general manager at Easton Leisure Centre. “Later in the year with reduced daylight hours we anticipate using gas again at some point, but it will be reduced by the contribution of the heat still coming from the roof.” Easton Leisure Centre is working with Bristol City Council to find other new and innovative solutions to reduce its CO2 output.
