Construction work on a 160 million waste wood biomass plant in Teesside could get underway this year after the development secured planning permission from Stockton-on-Tees borough council, project developer Eco2 has announced.
Situated on the banks of the River Tees at Clarence Works, the proposed facility will have the capacity to process 325,000 tonnes of waste wood per year from construction and demolition sites, civic amenity sites and packaging.
The development is the largest of its kind that can be approved at local authority level, according to Port Clarence Energy a company formed by Cardiff-based renewable energy firm Eco2 and London-based investment firm Temporis Capital to deliver and operate the plant.
However, while Eco2 says the biomass fuel will mainly be sourced from areas to the south of the site, contracts have yet to be secured for the plants waste wood feedstock.
In addition, some investment is still being sought before construction can get underway, but Port Clarence Energy hopes to have the 49MW plant in operation by 2017.
Feedstock
Waste wood biomass plants either operating or under development in Scotland and the north of England include RWEs Markinch facility in Scotland, Peel Energys 70 million Barton plant in Manchester, as well as E.ONs Blackburn Meadows facility and Dalkias Pollington plant, both in Yorkshire.
The 325,000 tonnes capacity Eco2 project represents significant additional capacity for handling waste wood in the region, where gate fees at wood recyclers are close to zero, while in Scotland, some recyclers are paying to take waste wood.
This contrasts with the south of England where there are fewer outlets for waste wood and gate fees have hit as high as 70.
However, Gary Bird, project manager at Eco2, told letsrecycle.com: We wouldnt have taken on the project if we didnt think we could get the feedstock. It is not going to be easy, but were looking to get construction started this year.
According to Eco2, the development will create 20 permanent jobs and hundreds more during the construction phase.
Planning
Port Clarence Energy was granted planning for the development by Stockton council on Wednesday (July 23) with assistance from North East firm Prism Planners after the application was lodged in April.
‘Work will start as soon as possible on-site and weve no reason to think this wouldnt be up and running in a couple of years.’
Steve Barker, managing director at Prism Planning
Steve Barker, managing director at Prism Planning claimed the development had been given strong support from the council and that funding team for the plant had been involved from day one.
Mr Barker said: It was supported by the officers of the council, and members were so supportive that it didnt need to go to planning committee. For a scheme of that size to get approved without going to planning committee is very unusual.
We are very pleased by the speed in which its been done, this is a large application, which has been determined nearly a month ahead of schedule it shows developers and councils can work together to get big investment into the Tees Valley.
He added: The funding team was in place from day one. Ive worked in local government for 20 years and the private sector for 10 to 15 years, and Ive never known that before. Work will start as soon as possible on-site and weve no reason to think this wouldnt be up and running in a couple of years.
The same site on the River Tees had previously been earmarked for another non-waste wood biomass plant in 2009, but developer Bio Energy Investments failed to attract funding for the scheme.
Renewable energy company Eco2 develops tidal, wind and biomass energy projects in the UK and Europe. The firm manages the fuel logistics and administration of the Western Wood Energy Plan in Port Talbot, South Wales, which is being supplied with waste wood under a 15 year deal with Stobart Biomass. (see letsrecycle.com story).
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