Windsor Utilities Commission selected FVB Energy Inc. to provide a variety of business development, marketing and engineering services for this district energy system, which provides cooling and heating services to the Casino Windsor as well as government and commercial buildings in downtown Windsor. The system started operations in 1996.
Technologies
• District cooling. The cooling plant has a capacity of 5,660 tons including thermal energy storage. Cooling is provided with four dual-duty, industrial grade screw chillers capable of producing chilled water or ice for thermal energy storage. The plant was integrated into the Casino Windsor. The distribution system utilizes North American Standard plastic pipe (HDPE).
• Ice thermal energy storage. Peak power demand load shifting is provided with 7,410 ton-hours of ice-on-coil thermal storage.
• District heating. The heating plant has a capacity of 70 million Btu/hour hot water (120 C) and 20 million Btu/hour steam (150 psig), and is capable of running on either fuel oil or natural gas. Hot water is distributed to multiple buildings in the community and steam is used internally by the Casino Windsor. The steam plant is capable of backing up the hot water plant in an emergency. The distribution system utilizes European Standard (EN 253) thin wall steel pipe.
• Standby/peak shaving power generation. Reliability is enhanced with 6 MW of diesel power generation for standby and peak shaving.
Customers
• Casino Windsor
• Commercial buildings
• Government buildings
FVB Energy, Inc. Services
FVB Energy provided many types of services to make this project successful, including:
• Market assessment and feasibility analysis
• Conceptual design of district heating and cooling system
• Marketing and sales guidance and support
• Financial analysis and rate structure development
• Hydraulic modeling and thermal storage analysis
• Level two financial analyses prior to capital authorization
• Detailed design of plant, distribution piping and building connections
• Commissioning of system
