MARLBORO — The emerging Brattleboro District Energy Project received another boost last week [January 23rd ACTUALLY] in the visit of consulting engineer Jens Overgaard from Copenhagen and the return of Dr. Morris Pierce from the Universityof Rochester in New York State. The Combined Heat and Power co-generation concept, so alive in Europe, seems to be moving into reality in Southern Vermont as well. Danish ingenuity has concocted tightly insulated piping 6 to16 inches wide which can carry 180 degree waterover distances as long as 30 miles via closed loop, two pipe systems which incur heat loss only after the junction ofcustomer provided in-building heat exchangers. The return-loop “cold” water is reheated. The water is treated to inhibit corrosion, and pipe life expectancy exceeds 50 years.
Boiler combustion of wood chips can simultaneously generate electricity for the CVPS/ISO New England grid. Wood chips are in plentiful supply in northern New England and in Canada, but solar heating is also viable, especially inDenmark where (it is said) only the sun is not taxed! Pipes need only be buried a few feet. (The frost line is unimportant.) In Iceland, comparable 1940's piping is actually extant and is above ground. Pipe sections are as long as 40 feet, but some sections are coiled, bent or elbowed. Leak detection technology is included. Prospective Windham County customers, both private and public, are being contacted. I expect we'll be hearing a lot more about this quite soon.