LNG from Calor powers Cochran’s new R&D centre

A leading manufacturer of industrial steam and hot water boilers is switching to liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Calor, reducing its CO2 output by 169 tonnes.

LNG will power the next stage of the company’s development as it creates a new research and development (R&D) centre.

Located off the mains gas grid next to the River Annan in Newbie, Scotland, LNG will fuel a new on-site R&D centre for boiler manufacturer Cochran, helping to train more than 500 employees and commercial customers every year. LNG will also provide space heating for the company’s factory during the colder winter months.

Previously fuelled by oil, LNG’s green credentials are a key driver for the switch, reducing the site’s CO2 emissions by 28 per cent.

David Branch, Business Development Manager at Cochran, explains: “We have been looking to make the switch for a long time. The majority of boilers we manufacture are fuelled by gas and, coupled with the environmental benefits and reduced costs when compared to oil, it made commercial sense for us to introduce LNG as our fuel partner of choice.

“LNG will be used in our new R&D centre, powering the boilers we test as we facilitate product development. In addition, it will enable us to deliver vital training to our employees and customers, including the Combustion Engineering Association’s BOAS (Boiler Operation Accreditation Scheme) and I-GAS (Industrial Gas Operations Accreditation Scheme) programmes.

“Furthermore, we anticipate savings of between £10,000 to £12,000 a year. We have been delighted with the service offered from Calor so far and the proposal they put forward to fuel our site with LNG. We look forward to working together in future.”

Kevin Houlden, Business Development Manager at Calor, adds: “LNG offers an environmentally superior and cost-efficient alternative to oil. We will be supplying a 20,000-litre LNG unit, supported by a number of vaporisers that can offer extra power when demand increases.

“A highly efficient fuel, LNG achieves a greater calorific value than even propane gas, offering an impressive output of 15.2 kWh per kg. Depending on the application, LNG emits up to a third less carbon dioxide than diesel or oil based products, with Cochran predicted to reduce its CO2 emissions by 28 per cent.”

It is expected that Cochran will have fully converted to LNG by September, with the installation assisted by Calor’s sister company, PrimaLNG.