Representatives from DBS, Skyline and Toyota Tsusho welcomed the oversees supplier of the new micro CHP system commissioned at 385 Vine Street in St. Catharines, Ontario, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 12th, 2016.
The rooftop unit with 70-kilowatt output capability is a pilot project for the various parties involved, and will be closely monitored for data during the weeks and months ahead. As energy is produced through cogeneration—the simultaneous production of electricity and thermal energy from a single fuel source—that energy will be used to offset both heat and electricity consumed at Skyline’s 136-unit residence.
“This is an exciting moment for the industry and the beginning of a new era in clean, off-grid energy production,” said Paul Ruth, president at DBS Power and Energy. “We’ve been working behind the scenes for three years now to bring this technology to the forefront of the Ontario market, and now we’re beginning to see both huge demand and a payback that can’t be beat.”
Yanmar, a Japanese engine manufacturer with more than 100 years of history, produced the natural gas engine-based CHP system which was ignited to a round of applause at the small ceremony involving a traditional ‘breaking of a Sake board.’
“This is by no means new technology, but it is new to this industry,” said Michael Alfano, Sales Application Energy at Yanmar, based in Atlanta, Georgia. “The systems are clean and produce minimal noise. They can be installed wherever space allows, but the rooftop makes sense given an exhaust system is needed for the steam to escape.”
Skyline Group of Companies is one of Canada’s leading supporters of cogeneration, with more than 200 sites currently undergoing assessment. “We have several systems working in our St. Catherines properties, but this is the first rooftop micro CHP unit using the Yanmar engine,” said Roy Jason Ashdown, co-founder and CEO at Skyline. “We are very excited to see the results in the coming weeks and we look forward to a long, prosperous relationship with our partners at both DBS and Toyoto Tsusho.”
Kazuko Newton, Sr. Sales Engineer with Toyota Tsusho, the exclusive distributor of the Yanmar systems in Eastern Canada, is optimistic the results will be nothing but favourable. “Now we are able to prove savings thanks to the unit we have installed in our office, which is the same size as the one here on Vine Street,” she said. “We have data and history showing that these systems work well and that the investment is worth it.”
Newton also noted that the systems come in many sizes and applications—some as small as 5 kW, which would be suitable for a 5,000 square foot private home. But for now, the parties are focused on the apartment industry and paving a smooth path for future interested buyers.
“We have come a long way in three years, and given the range of benefits and savings we know this technology can bring, we’re about to see a huge surge in CHP’s popularity,” said Ruth. “DBS wants to make the journey to cogeneration more user-friendly and accessible, and now we’re officially set up to do that.”
