Biomass Digest» UK

UK waste wood biomass gains permits

Meghan Sapp — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:27:31 +0000

In the UK, planning permission has been granted for a 12MW gasification power plant in Lincolnshire that will use 140,000 metric tons of waste wood and biosolids from wastewater as a feedstock. Possibly the first of its kind to be approved in the UK, the project is a joint venture of Alternative Use Group and Alchemy Farms, both of the US. Wood is expected to come from old overhead line poles while biosolids will be sourced from nearby treatment works to the site in Boston.

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Pell Energy proposes UK biomass plant

Jim Lane — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:21:50 +0000

In the UK, Peel Energy has announced the details of a proposed biomass power plant that replaces plans for an ethanol plant that had already received planning permission. The company says the plans changed because national legislation had changed that no longer made the ethanol facility viable.

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UK courts clear way for Helion Energy project

Jim Lane — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:37:25 +0000

In the UK, the High Court in Cardiff refused protestors of the Helion Energy biomass power plant project at Avonmouth Dock permission to apply for a judicial review of the project. Helius originally received planning permission for the power station back in March.

The biomass power plant will require up to 850,000 tonnes of sustainably sourced feedstock each year, primarily wood-based material. Construction of the plant is expected to start following conclusion of the engineering procurement program.

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U Nottingham builds $10M renewables research center

Jim Lane — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:35:26 +0000

In the UK, the University of Nottingham is building a $10 million research center that will be dedicated to renewable energy working in the fields of bioenergy, hydrogen fuels, carbon capture and storage, sustainable architecture and biomass, among others. The new facility is expected to open in January 2012.

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Is Biomass combustion zero-carbon? UK report says no.

Jim Lane — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:12:08 +0000

In the UK, the national Sustainable Building Association AECB has published the findings of its commissioned report that claims that policies assuming biomass energy is zero-carbon or ‘green’ are leading to additional carbon emissions in the UK rather than reducing them.

Nick Grant , co-author of ‘The Green Electricity Illusion said, “There is a lot of confusion around, with people mixing up the terms renewable, sustainable and low carbon. We need to take a step back from the seemingly endless arguments about the definition of zero carbon, and ask ourselves – what are we really trying to do here? I believe when you do this, it is clear that we need to go back to the simple principle of using less energy, in whatever form.”

Download the complete report.

Forth Energy begins to plan 100MW biomass-fired power plant

Jim Lane — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 06:59:24 +0000

In the UK, Forth Energy has applied for planning permission for a 100MW biomass-fired power plant in Dundee, Scotland. Forth Energy’s plans to construct four 100MW plants — in Edinburgh, Dundee, Rosyth and Grangemouth — are part of a strategic joint venture between Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) and Forth Ports. The Dundee plant is the first of the four to submit a planning application, following consultation with the local community. Each plant is expected to cost around $565 million and will power up to 160,000 homes. According to another news source, government ministers, local SNP councillors and ministers, city council leaders and environmental groups all oppose the plant, which would be fuelled by woodchip shipped in from as far afield as the United States.

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Camco acquires portfolio of W2E projects in UK

Jim Lane — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:30:43 +0000

In the UK, Camco International announced acquisition of a portfolio of emission reduction projects from Greenhouse Gas Services.

The operational projects acquired include reductions from agricultural waste-to-energy installations and landfill gas projects and it is anticipated that they will generate emission reductions in excess of 110,000 tons of CO2 equivalents per year, as well as rights to additional projects.

Camco anticipates registering additional projects in the second half of 2010 that will increase future deliveries.

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The Last Word: “Residents are justifiably worried about the impact on their quality of life.”

Jim Lane — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:24:12 +0000

Gavin Adkins, Director of the Wood Panel Industry Federation and Kronospan Director of Sawmilling: “Since the Government started subsidising biomass power stations to burn timber the price of wood has increased by 30% over 3 years. Inevitably this will have to be passed on to the consumer. This could all be avoided if the Government decided to subsidise waste wood going to biomass burners instead of subsidising the clean timber that the manufacturing industry needs. ”

Bill Gabler, Project Director of New Hampshire-based Clean Power Development: “Communities want the jobs, and they want the power from biomass generation. But residents are justifiably worried about the impact on their quality of life. They see a potential threat to air quality, the water and local forests. And they worry about the noise and heavy truck traffic associated with large generation plants.”

Drax delays UK biomass investments, citing policy instability

Jim Lane — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:09:14 +0000

In the UK, the country’s largest private energy supplier Drax—who had planned to convert three of its coal-fired boilers to biomass—has delayed its investment plans because it sees the government’s policies as too unstable.

The UK government last month announced financial support for 20 years to biomass-based energy plants but the subsidy policy is to be reviewed in 2013. Drax’s planned investment would boost its biomass mix to 12.5% from its current level of 5%.

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The Last Word: “Certification of the massive Burger project without proper scrutiny could weaken Ohio’s renewable-energy standard.”

Jim Lane — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:08:02 +0000

Neil Etherington, Able UK, group development director: “Quite rightly the potential for the UK in becoming an international leader in the renewable energy sector has been compared to the impact of North Sea oil and this project offers the chance for the Humber to become the key centre in the UK and Europe.”
Will Reisinger, Ohio Environmental Council, staff attorney: “Certification of the massive Burger project without proper scrutiny could weaken Ohio’s renewable-energy standard. And it could hamstring the promising clean-energy economy that is taking root in Toledo and across the state.”