The first phase of Biopower Group Ltd’s ‘green energy park’ is expected to begin in ‘the next few weeks’, bringing £30 million of investment to the North East town as well as 25 permanent jobs according to the firm.
Planning permission for the facility – which will be based on a 23-acre site in Brenda Road – was granted by Hartlepool borough council in April this year.
Due to be completed by the end of 2017, once operational the plant is expected to generate around 5.1MW of electricity to the National Grid.
Hartlepool council adds that there will also be opportunity for businesses near the site to source their energy directly from the energy park – which is seen as an incentive to attract other firms to the town.
Fund
Speaking to letsrecycle.com, Biopower Group’s managing director, Steve Winspear, said the plant had been partly financed via a City of London investment fund.
The business – which according to Companies House was newly-incorporated in May 2016 – has been set up with the idea to develop other waste technologies on the site in the future.
Mr Winspear said: “We had a large field on an industrial estate which wasn’t being used, and access to the Northern Power grid connection. After three years of planning the first phase of the site we are now looking at other technologies that are gas to grid.
“We may go for another AD plant that just creates gas but we are looking at other technologies such as gasification. But what we have to make sure is that we consider solutions that can standalone and don’t rely on subsidies.”
He added that the plant already has feedstock arrangements in place with a “major supplier” contracted for digestate removal.
“We have talked to [Hartlepool] council about separate food waste collections in the future, and could also look to Middlesbrough and Sotckton-on-Tees councils for feedstock.”
Storage
The director also confirmed plans to increase the amount of waste that is processed at the site, and intends to build a storage facility capable of stockpiling waste for “six months”.
Councillor Kevin Cranney, chair of the Council’s Regeneration Services Committee, added: “This state-of-the-art development will result in significant investment in Hartlepool and much needed jobs which has to be welcomed.
“The food waste will be sourced locally and converted into electricity for the National Grid, raising Hartlepool’s green credentials in the process.”
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