We were delighted to visit the Combined Heat and Power Station known as Citigen in Smithfield. As guests of Eon and hosted by Richard Sansom, we had the full tour in PPE. The CHP Station is somewhat hidden from view behind the façade of the Port of London Authority as the Grade II listed building was conceived as a coal powered power station for the PLA. It now houses a CHP station that started as diesel fired and is about to change from gas to renewable energy. Thus charting energy history over the last 150 years. The aim is to assist in the decarbonisation of City buildings.
Supplying many high-profile City Corporation and private commercial buildings, it ensures that businesses connected can have a supply at competitive prices. For example, the new London Museum is just next door and is supplied from this plant. We were assured that there was spare capacity built into the plant to enable the output to be expanded.
We visited the air coolers on the roof, heat pumps in the basement alongside the bore hole pipes which sink 200 metres in the ground to gather water from 3 aquifers. There is constant planning and updating in order to ensure that the supply meets the growing demand.
For the LCAG members not only was it a fascinating insight into the technology being brought to bear to creatively and economically decarbonise our wonderful City’s leading-edge approach to the environment it was also a great opportunity to swap views and ideas between the members who attended. Indeed one member was able to suggest some improvements and they are already in touch with Eon.
Thanks to Chris Dyson and Howard Davies for the write up and to Niki Gorick for the photo.