The biomass plant room, ash bins, buffer tank and Herz BioFire

Hever Castle Estate in Kent is one of the county’s most popular tourist attractions. Back in 2007, rising oil costs and a large woodland surrounding the site meant the owners were quick to see the benefits of converting to biomass heating and a 650kW Binder wood chip boiler was  installed by local biomass experts Douch Biomass ( a long-term Herz partner).

Keen to benefit from the financial savings that can be made from the government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Hever’s management enlisted Douch Biomass to return back to the site in 2013 to upgrade their system with a larger 995kW Herz BioFire boiler. Douch designed and installed the Herz system with Rural Energy supporting the assembly. The project included extending the district heating system, removing the existing boiler and installing the BioFire with a new fuel feed. Works included removing and rebuilding walls in an existing plant room as well as refurbishing the fuel store. The new larger boiler now heats several additional houses and a toilet block as well as the Castle and a Tudor village. All fuel is grown on the estate or sourced from local Kent and Sussex woodland.

Hever Castle is now benefiting from the Renewable Heat Incentive, an essential income that will help fund the historic estate for years to come.