Member Article

Rotherham biomass energy project back on track

Plans for a biomass energy development that would create 140 jobs in Rotherham have been revived.

Operators, the Brite Partnership, secured planning permission in 2010 for the scheme at the Firth Rixson Ickles Works in Templeborough, with land and disused buildings purchased in March 2011.

Following a financial review of the project, revised plans have now been submitted showing that wood pellet manufacturing capability has been increased from 200,000 tonnes per annum to 350,000 as a result of increased demand from potential customers in the coal-fired power generation sector.

Plans for a liquid biomass CHP plant have been removed as they are no longer financially viable so the capacity of the planned biomass CHP plant on the site has been increased.

Generating heat and power from carbon-neutral renewable wood pellet fuel, the development is forecasted to save as much as 15.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions that would have been emitted from traditional fossil fuel power stations.

If approved, the plant will generate 34MWth of thermal energy to the pellet manufacturing process, and 35MWe of renewable electricity, with around 20MWe of renewable electricity available for distribution to the grid.

The Brite Partnership was formed with the sole purpose of developing projects for green energy production and operating them as viable, sustainable businesses.

Partners have more than 85 years’ experience between them in the construction industry and other team members have extensive understanding of the development of biomass combustion projects, with similar projects in other parts of the UK and Europe. The Rotherham project is seen as the cornerstone of the renewable energy business, from which the partnership intends to build in coming years across the country.

Brite has the support of the government’s Green Investment Bank for the first project.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by David Gatehouse .