Plans to build the UK’s biggest biomass power station have been given official approval.
Work is now expected to start on the £90m E-ON plant in Lockerbie, with commercial operation forecast to begin in 2007.
The 44MW power station will produce enough power to supply 70,000 homes and will create 40 direct jobs and up to 300 in associated supply industries, including forestry.
When up and running the facility will consume 220,000 tonnes of “oven-dried” wood fuel a year. Initially this will be mainly forest products’ sector residue. But within four years it is expected that 45,000 tonnes of the total will comprise specially farmed willow.
Renewable Fuels Ltd has won the contract to supply the latter and is currently contracting farmers and other landowners in Dumfries and Cumbria to establish up to 3,700ha of short rotation coppice (SRC) willow to suppy the material. Underlining government support for bio-energy, Scottish forestry minister Rhona Brankin recently announced an increase in grant aid for SRC establishment to £1,000/ha, subject to European Commission approval.
The Lockerbie biomass station is supported with an £18m National Lottery grant and E.ON, which operates 300 power stations of various types worldwide, is working on the project in a consortium with Siemens and Kvaerner.
