Constructed on the east-London Olympic site the building includes a gas-fired Combined Cooling Heat & Power (CCHP) plant to capture the heat generated by electricity production.

It also has biomass-fired boilers using sustainable wood-chip to generate heat and deliver low carbon energy.

Cooling for the building will be provided through a combination of electric, ammonia based chillers and absorption chillers which are driven by heat recovered from plant in the centre.

The building was officially opened by London mayor, Boris Johnson, he said: “It is an environmental imperative that we harness the delivery of 2012 Games to raise new standards of sustainability.

“Not only will this leverage in new skills and job opportunities for Londoners, but also help the transition towards a low carbon economy.

“It is a fantastic achievement that the Olympic Park will be powered locally. Not only will it generate electricity but the heat from that process will also be used to heat and cool buildings providing a valuable wider legacy for the vibrant new metropolitan quarter we are creating in east London.”

The energy centre has an initial capacity of 46.5MW of heating and 16MW of cooling provide heating and cooling through 16km of community energy networks across the Olympic Park

It includes five cooling towers and two hot water boilers each weighing around 60 tons.

A second energy centre is also being built in Stratford City to supply the new retail and commercial developments, under construction there.

Luke Walsh

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