The UK’s Energy Minister, Charles Hendry, has given the green light for a 299-MW biomass power station at Penrhos Works, Holyhead, Anglesey in Wales. The plant, which had already been granted an environmental permit by the Environment Agency Wales after a year's scrutiny of the plans, will use wood to generate electricity for use by a nearby aluminium works or will be exported to the national grid.
Plant operator, Anglesey Aluminium Metal Renewables, as revealed that it plans to source fuel from both local sources and imports brought in through the Port of Holyhead. The company decided to develop the plan to meet its demand for cheap electricity to power its aluminium re-melt plan close to Penrhos Works. In September 2009, the company closed its smelting works on the same site partly because of the high energy costs.
This closure led to the loss of 390 jobs, while it is expected that construction of the biomass plant will will employ up to 600 people, with a further 100 full time personnel during operation.
“I am especially pleased that the plant offers the prospect of so many high quality jobs in Anglesey,” said Hendry. Biomass power stations such as this one in Anglesey will provide a "reliable, secure, flexible and renewable source of power", he added. In a separate development Anglesey Aluminium Metal Renewables revealed that it had appointed a preferred bidder for the 100 million pound plant.
New plant on River Mersey
Elsewhere in the UK, plans to build a 20-MW biomass plant on Ince Marshes on the banks of the River Mersey have been approved by Cheshire County Council. Ince Biomass Plant, near Helsby, will be fuelled by almost 200,000 tonnes of recycled wood a year.
Developer, Peel Energy, said the new facility would generate enough renewable electricity to meet the needs of 37,000 homes, using wood that might otherwise end up in landfill, helping to secure energy supplies and helping the UK to meet its climate change and carbon dioxide reduction targets. It will also create 17 full-time permanent jobs.
“We would like to thank the council for giving the plans a fair hearing… these are exactly the kind of decisions that are required if the UK is to meet its renewable energy targets and avoid valuable resources going into landfill,” commented Jon Burley Peel Energy’s Development Manager.
Construction of the Ince Biomass Plant is scheduled to begin next year, with completion in 2014.
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