Member Article

New Type Of Green For Golf Club

Golfers are enjoying a new type of “green” thanks to a Yorkshire renewables company.

Yorkshire Heat Pumps stepped in when Seacroft Golf Club was facing rising heating costs and members wanted a solution which was good for both the club’s coffers, and the environment.

Said Michael Wright, of the Blubberhouses-based business: “Seacroft is on a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and club members felt they wanted to be eco-friendly when they updated their heating and hot water provision.

“Not only was a biomass boiler a wise move for green credentials, the move is a hole in one at the bank too as the club is looking at saving more than £21,000 over 20 years in fuel costs. And the project will pay for itself within six years thanks to the government’s non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme, which rewards businesses and charities for going green.”

The Lincolnshire club, rated one of England’s top 100 courses, is renowned for its catering and facilities, being popular for private parties and dinners. There is a large open plan main lounge and the 19th Hole bar plus a pro shop and changing facilities on site.

Club secretary Graham Brader said: “We are delighted with our new boiler. We have all the hot water and heating we need plus a clear conscience on the environment – and it makes financial sense.

“We were using two 30kW gas boilers consuming around 130,000kWh per annum. Yorkshire Heat Pumps recommended a Windhager BioWIN 60kW biomass boiler with a 1,500 litre buffer tank to manage the hot water. They constructed a bespoke 16 tonne pellet store tucked away in a corner of the trolley store, so we can buy fuel in bulk.

“Wood pellets are turning out cheaper than gas, and are a sustainable fuel, giving us a carbon saving of 27 tonnes a year.”

The system qualified for non-domestic RHI which is payable over 20 years. The scheme, an incentive for switching to green heating technologies, pays out quarterly at a set tariff for every kW hour of energy consumed. For many businesses, it enables capital costs to be recouped in just a few years and creates an income stream after the initial layout has been recovered.

Yorkshire Heat Pumps supplies and installs ground and air source heat pumps and biomass boilers from its Blubberhouses base. Run by Michael and Kate Wright, the company prides itself on the quality of its installations and unparalleled customer service and care.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Yorkshire Heat Pumps .