The blessing of the new energy centre rounded off the celebrations for the topping-out ceremony of the northern extension to the Barmherzige Brüder hospital in Eisenstadt, Austria. The centre comprises a cogeneration plant, a natural-gas condensing boiler and heat accumulators, meaning that the hospital is now benefiting from a state-of-the-art energy supply. Numerous honorary guests attended the ceremony, among them Governor Franz Niessl, Deputy Governor Franz Steindl, and state councillor for health Peter Rezar. The presence of such high-ranking figures highlighted the importance of the project.
At the heart of the economic and environmentally friendly cogeneration plant is a Jenbacher gas engine, a JMS 412 GS-N.LC model from GE. The unit features high power density and outstanding efficiency. In future the engine will be able to produce enough energy to meet most of the hospital's electricity and heating needs. Any additional heating required will be provided by the natural-gas condensing boiler. The heat accumulators are designed to reduce downtime, i.e. to minimize the start-stop intervals of the cogeneration plant and the condensing boiler. They will also supply heat during periods of peak demand.
Heat produced in the energy centre will be used for heating the buildings and for producing hot water. Surplus electricity that the hospital does not require will be fed into the public grid. In summer, the cogeneration plant will also be used for cooling. Waste heat from the engine will power an absorption refrigerator that airconditions the hospital.
Roland Kockert of BEGAS Energie is delighted with the engine: "Natural gas is a really versatile energy source, and the Jenbacher gas engine helps the hospital to get the most out of it. Plus, because the new engine is so efficient, we can lower the facility's primary energy consumption and reduce its impact on the environment."
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