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The NBL biomass boiler is the biggest wood boiler in the country and will be able to meet 80% of the brewery’s heat demand. |
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NBL commenced with the testing phase of the biomass boiler in the last weeks of June 2016 – a year after initiating the project. The boiler, which was imported from Austria, is set to replace 80% of the 3 600 tons of heavy furnace oil NBL annually uses.
The N$53.4 million investment will result in a reduction of 8 000 tonnes of emissions per year, 28% of NBL’s total emissions. This contributes to the O&L Group target of reducing its carbon footprint by 20% by 2019.
The boiler uses wood chips sourced via O&L partner subsidiary Organic Energy Solutions, which applies world class technology to produce chips. Approval was obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry to harvest pervasive invader bush, thereby clearing land for alternative use and improving the carrying capacity of farms.
The project, which is founded on NBL’s commitment to renewable energy, was costed based on assumptions related to variables such as the exchange rate, international oil prices and interest rates, which have since shifted significantly. This results in a longer repayment period, but still offers significant cost and environmental savings on an annual basis.
The NBL biomass boiler is the biggest wood boiler in the country and will be able to meet 80% of the brewery’s heat demand. The previous oil-fired boiler will only be activated for periods of peak demand.
