There’s a growing number of pools and aquatic centres turning GREEN.. Low Carbon Pools turning to Microturbines It’s OK - They’re perfectly safe to swim in. The GREENING relates to their energy – Not their water. These pools and aquatic centres have converted a large portion of their energy supply to the World’s cleanest microturbine generator from Capstone. This transforms their operation from dirty, coal fired electricity from the grid; to clean natural gas fired electricity generated on site, clean and sustainable.
Free Heating: For every kW of electricity you generate on-site, you also produce 2kW of clean usable heat from the turbine exhaust. This is used to heat the pool water. Cost Savings: Switching to natural gas and recovering the free heat into hot water reduces energy costs across the facility which pays back the cogeneration investment. Optimal has recently been awarded 3 new aquatic centre contracts for the supply of cogeneration systems at Wangaratta, Shepparton and Sunshine using the clean and green Capstone Microturbine technology.
This adds to over existing 10 Capstone Microturbine aquatic centre installations already in Australia. Aquatic centres are the natural habitat for cogeneration systems, sometimes called - combined heat and power (CHP) generators.
Step 1 - Generate Power: An aquatic centre gains the benefits of switching a large portion of their electricity from dirty, coal fired electricity from the grid; to clean natural gas fired electricity generated on site. Reducing power costs and site emissions.
Step 2 - Combine heat capture and reuse: You also save on water heating costs by capturing and reusing the clean heat from the turbine generator which is used to heat the pool water.
Typical savings for aquatic are between $50,000 to $90,000 p.a. with paybacks from 4 to 7 years. Reduced costs over the long term: The savings increase as the plant passes payback.
The long life of the cogeneration plant is protected by the Capstone Factory Protection Plan (FPP) which covers all maintenance costs over the life cycle of the machine. (Some Capstone maintenance contracts have extended beyond 20 years!). A typical example from Victoria: 68,000 sqm of indoor and 30,500 sqm of outdoor (seasonal use) with a gym.
Operations Monday to Friday 6:00am to 10:00pm and weekends 8:00am to 5:00pm.
A Capstone C65 combined heat and power (CHP) or cogeneration machine operating 24 hours and 7 days a week produces 65kW of electricity and 110 kW of heat in hot water.
The optimal option provides a 5-6 year payback from $50,000 p.a. average savings over 15 years. It is predicted that carbon savings will be over 450,000 kg-CO2(e) per annum, which is the equivalent to removing more than 150 cars from the road per annum.
Recently awarded projects
Wangaratta Sports & Aquatic Centre
Shepparton Aquamoves
Sunshine Leisure Centre
Aquatic Centres
Microturbine installations
Brunswick City Baths
Collingwood Leisure Centre
Richmond Recreation Centre
Huntingtower Pool
St Catherine's Pool
Leichhardt Aquatic and Leisure Centre
Thomastown Recreation and Aquatic Centre (TRAC)++
Wodonga Waves
Box Hill Aqualink
Frankston Regional Aquatic Centre
Optimal Group Australia is the exclusive distributor for Capstone Microturbines in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). We supply microturbine energy solutions, service and maintenance across the ANZ region. Learn more about the savings and benefits of generating your own power and heat on site, contact Optimal Group.