Client: Corix Utilites
Year: 2008 to Present
Project Highlights
- Interim Energy Centres including 8.0 MWt IEC1, 3.0 MWt IEC2, 8.0 MWt IEC3, and 4MWt IEC4
- Approximately 2,500 trench-metres of distribution piping
- Design & construction support of 13 Energy Transfer Stations
- Permanent sewer heat recovery plant in detailed design – 4 MWt recoverable heat, expandable to 8 MW+, 5MWt electric boiler, and 40 MWt peaking boilers
Sewer Heat Recovery: Powering the Future of Low-Carbon District Energy in Richmond
The City Centre District Energy Utility (CCDEU) – which grew out of the Oval Village District Energy Utility (OVDEU) – is an innovative low-carbon district energy system in Richmond, BC, owned by Lulu Island Energy Company and operated by Corix Utilities. The system uses Interim Energy Centres to provide heating and domestic hot water today, while a permanent sewer-heat-recovery plant is developed to dramatically reduce its carbon emissions. The original OVDEU already reduces greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 400 tons/year.
FVB Energy has been involved since the very first concept screening study, continuing through feasibility, design, construction support, and operations. Early studies investigated heat recovery from the Gilbert Trunk sewage line, the Richmond Oval, and the Fraser River, plus CHP and biomass, with the most promising concepts carried into technical and financial analysis. In 2014, FVB assisted Corix with its pro-forma through AACE Class 4 cost estimates for the Energy Centre, ETS, DPS, and O&M; in 2018 FVB expanded the analysis from Oval Village to the entire City Centre.
FVB has delivered design and construction support for the system’s Interim Energy Centres (8.0 MWt IEC1, 3.0 MWt IEC2, 8.0 MWt IEC3, and 4MWt IEC4), 13 Energy Transfer Stations, and approximately 2,500 trench-metres of distribution piping, supported by hydraulic modelling and peer reviews. Under a tight early schedule, FVB designed and supported construction of two interim plants, 200 trench-metres of piping, and two energy transfer stations in only six months – integrated with the construction of Polygon Carrera and Onni Riva Phase 1 – completing the first phase on time and on budget.
FVB is now finalizing detailed design of the Oval Sewer Heat Recovery Central Energy Plant, which recovers heat from Metro Vancouver sewer trunks using direct-sewage heat pumps and SHARC 880 systems, backed by an electric boiler and gas peaking. The Central Energy Plant is designed to have scalable to meet growing system demand. The ultimate design is based around two initial 2 MW York/JCI or Trane heat pumps with room to expand by at least two more units; two initial and two future SHARC 880 packages; a 5 MW electric boiler; and 40 MW of peaking gas boilers. The configuration baseloads the SHR capacity, achieves additional compliance with low-carbon energy targets, trims supply temperature with the electric boiler, and provides peaking and redundancy with the gas boilers.
As prime consultant across studies, design, and construction support, FVB continues to advance Richmond City Centre’s transition to scalable, low-carbon district energy.
More Information
Visit Corix Utilities
Rendering courtesy of DIALOG Architects.
Keywords
Sewer heat recovery, Interim energy centre, ETS, DPS, Technology screening, Heat pumps, District heating, Decarbonization