Ruapehu College has recently welcomed two new 40-foot containerised wood pellet boilers. Photo/ Supplied
Ruapehu College has recently welcomed two new 40-foot containerised wood pellet boilers. Photo/ Supplied
Ruapehu College has made the switch to a low-emission heating system as part of work to replace all coal boilers in New Zealand public schools by 2025.
The school has two new 12m containerised wood pellet boilers replacing a very old coal boiler which had become a major concern for the staff. The boilers work in tandem to provide 500kw to the school to heat its classrooms.
Ruapehu College principal Marama Allen said the school community was relieved to have a heating source that was better for the environment.
The college is well known for its position in the shadow of Mount Ruapehu, and has the unique demands of its local climate to consider.
On a normal winter’s day, the temperature is usually below 5°C in the early morning and has been recorded as low as -13°C, meaning reliability of heating is paramount.
The inside of the container boiler. Photo/ Supplied
Following some in-depth scoping work by EECA (the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority), Ruapehu College’s coal boiler was replaced with an innovative solution that has been used to replace fossil fuel-powered boilers across a number of New Zealand’s education institutions - a wood pellet boiler inside a shipping container.
These are usually replaced with a low emissions alternative when the current boiler is near the end of its life. However, EECA has a focus on removing coal boilers as quickly as possible, prioritising the largest and most active.
Replacing these old systems with safer, cleaner alternatives is a key step in the decarbonisation of New Zealand’s state sector. Through the same fund, EECA is also working on phasing out coal boilers across other organisations in the state sector, such as hospitals, universities, and prisons.
The replacement was carried out under the Ministry of Education (MOE’s) School Coal Boiler Replacement Programme, which was established in 2020.
Instead of coal, the containers use carbon-neutral wood pellets produced using waste wood from timber production and forestry.
This avoids the need to send the unused product to landfill, as the ‘waste’ product is 100 per cent renewable.
The pellets have the lowest emission impact of any fuel available in New Zealand, including our highly renewable electricity grid.
While burning the pellets creates CO2, and a small amount of methane, replanting the area from which it was sourced means that the CO2 emissions released are effectively ‘recycled’.
This has been supported by Aquaheat Facilities Services, who are introducing QR codes on the side of their containerised boilers. Students will be able to scan to learn about why the transition has been made, and how it has improved the environmental outcomes for their college, local community, and on a larger scale, the planet.
The college’s art and technology team are facilitating the creation of a flora and fauna-inspired mural of students’ artwork.
The mural is designed to bring life and personality to the outside of the containerised boilers, making them an art piece for the school that communicates its sustainability narrative for future students.
An example of the painted container boiler at the University of Waikato. Photo/ Supplied
“Knowing our heating source is not impacting the environment is important to us - as an education facility we need to be leading and teaching by example for our young learners,” Allen said.
“The air also feels cleaner, which the students are happy about, as they love the outdoors.”
The container boilers were manufactured and pre-commissioned in Rotorua. After being delivered to the school they were essentially plugged in and able to be used.
Aquaheat Facilities Services, the supplier responsible for installing the containers, has also identified positives beyond emissions reduction.
Phil Thorpe, general manager of Decarbonisation Initiatives, says the ash from the wood pellets can be used on school gardens, and the system is a lot quieter than a coal boiler.
“It also promises a lot less wasted heat. Rather than cranking up an old boiler and keeping it burning all day, the system can be switched on and off as needed, and the heat is almost immediate.”
At Ruapehu College, education isn’t confined to the classroom, with the school also incorporating sustainability initiatives and projects into the curriculum to give students a more holistic and hands-on relationship with their local environment.
The physical removal of a coal boiler and replacement with a sustainable alternative for providing energy has proven to be a valuable opportunity for students to witness a step away from a reliance on fossil fuels.
“Building on previous work, our 2023 curriculum will be developed further to implement local environmental studies – and the new boilers provide us with an example of climate action in everyday life,” Allen said.
