Blyth Biomass Power Station
Encyclopedia
The North Blyth Biomass Project is a proposed biomass-fired
power station
, that if built would be siuated at North Blyth, Northumberland
, Northumberland
, on the north bank of the River Blyth
near its tidal estuary. It is expected to have a generating capacity of 100 megawatts, enough electricity to provide for 170,000 homes. Renewable Energy Systems
, the station's developer, plan to submit planning permission for the station in summer 2011.
power station on the redundant Bates Colliery site to the north of Blyth
. In May 2009, Port of Blyth selected renewable energy company Renewable Energy Systems
(RES) as the developer for the power station.
In December 2009, RES and the Port of Blyth decided to relocate the proposed station site to the north bank of the estuary at North Blyth
near the port's new bulk materials handling facility. The resaon given for the move was that it would reduce the number of road movements supplying the station, and would give the station access to rail facilities.
On 10 and 11 September 2010, RES released the first promotional images of what the station may look like, revealing them to the public in a series of public exhibitions at Blyth Community Enterprise Centre, the North Blyth Club and Cambois Welfare Institute. Later that month, RES claimed that 75% of the local residents who had attended the exhibitions had been enthusiastic about the station being built. Only 5% had opposed the scheme and 20% had no opinion. The strong support for the station was attributed to the creation of local employent at the station, the regeneration of the area and the contribution to the renewable energy drive in the area. David Maunder of RES said the company were "delighted with the positive response". As part of the formal consultation process, another series of exhibitions, displaying the final plans for the station, will be held on the 27 and 28 January 2011.
RES chose to build the station in Blyth because of the good workforce in the area and the town's good infastructure. If built, the station would also contribute to Blyth becoming a centre for renewable energy, with the nearby NaREC
. Between 200 and 300 full time jobs are expected to be created at the peak of the construction of the station, and 40 permanent jobs would be available once it was operational. It is claimed 95% of these jobs would go to local people. Planning permission for the station was expected to be submitted to the Infrastructure Planning Commission
some time between January and March 2011, but that March the date was moved back to that summer. The build time for the station is expected to be around 30 months, and so it is expected to be receiving fuel and operational by 2015, if planning permission is granted.
, wood pellets, wood briquette
s and recycled chipped wood. This fuel would be delivered to the station via the nearby port. The electricity generated would be enough to power 150,000 homes, and would cut carbon dioxide
emissions by over 300,000 tonnes per year.
The station will stand on a 5 hectare site. It is expected to feature a 105 m (344.5 ft) tall chimney
, a 65 m (213.3 ft) tall boiler house
and a 25 m (82 ft) tall fuel storage warehouse
. New cranes, hoppers and conveyor systems will handle the station's fuel.
Biomass
Biomass, as a renewable energy source, is biological material from living, or recently living organisms. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly, or converted into other energy products such as biofuel....
power station
Power station
A power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
, that if built would be siuated at North Blyth, Northumberland
North Blyth, Northumberland
North Blyth is a small settlement in south-east Northumberland, England. It is located to the south east of the village of Cambois and to the north of the town of Blyth on the north eastern side of the River Blyth harbour....
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, on the north bank of the River Blyth
River Blyth, Northumberland
The River Blyth flows eastwards through southern Northumberland into the North Sea at the town of Blyth. It flows through Plessey Woods Country Park. The River Pont is a tributary....
near its tidal estuary. It is expected to have a generating capacity of 100 megawatts, enough electricity to provide for 170,000 homes. Renewable Energy Systems
Renewable Energy Systems
The RES Group is a UK-based renewable energy project developer. Its core business is to develop, construct and operate large-scale, grid-connected renewable energy projects worldwide. As part of the Sir Robert McAlpine group, RES is active in the wind, biomass and solar energy sectors...
, the station's developer, plan to submit planning permission for the station in summer 2011.
Development
In September 2008, the Port of Blyth authority announced that it was planning to build a biomassBiomass
Biomass, as a renewable energy source, is biological material from living, or recently living organisms. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly, or converted into other energy products such as biofuel....
power station on the redundant Bates Colliery site to the north of Blyth
Blyth
- Places :Australia* Blyth, South Australia, a small townCanada* Blyth, Ontario, a villageUnited Kingdom* Blyth, Northumberland, a town* Blyth, Nottinghamshire, a village* Blyth, Suffolk, a village* River Blyth, Northumberland* River Blyth, Suffolk...
. In May 2009, Port of Blyth selected renewable energy company Renewable Energy Systems
Renewable Energy Systems
The RES Group is a UK-based renewable energy project developer. Its core business is to develop, construct and operate large-scale, grid-connected renewable energy projects worldwide. As part of the Sir Robert McAlpine group, RES is active in the wind, biomass and solar energy sectors...
(RES) as the developer for the power station.
In December 2009, RES and the Port of Blyth decided to relocate the proposed station site to the north bank of the estuary at North Blyth
North Blyth, Northumberland
North Blyth is a small settlement in south-east Northumberland, England. It is located to the south east of the village of Cambois and to the north of the town of Blyth on the north eastern side of the River Blyth harbour....
near the port's new bulk materials handling facility. The resaon given for the move was that it would reduce the number of road movements supplying the station, and would give the station access to rail facilities.
On 10 and 11 September 2010, RES released the first promotional images of what the station may look like, revealing them to the public in a series of public exhibitions at Blyth Community Enterprise Centre, the North Blyth Club and Cambois Welfare Institute. Later that month, RES claimed that 75% of the local residents who had attended the exhibitions had been enthusiastic about the station being built. Only 5% had opposed the scheme and 20% had no opinion. The strong support for the station was attributed to the creation of local employent at the station, the regeneration of the area and the contribution to the renewable energy drive in the area. David Maunder of RES said the company were "delighted with the positive response". As part of the formal consultation process, another series of exhibitions, displaying the final plans for the station, will be held on the 27 and 28 January 2011.
RES chose to build the station in Blyth because of the good workforce in the area and the town's good infastructure. If built, the station would also contribute to Blyth becoming a centre for renewable energy, with the nearby NaREC
NaREC
Narec is a UK centre for renewable energy and low carbon technologies. The centre develops prototypes, tests renewable devices to international standards, and is involved in installing low carbon technologies. It is very similar to other centres, such as NREL in the US and National Centre for...
. Between 200 and 300 full time jobs are expected to be created at the peak of the construction of the station, and 40 permanent jobs would be available once it was operational. It is claimed 95% of these jobs would go to local people. Planning permission for the station was expected to be submitted to the Infrastructure Planning Commission
Infrastructure Planning Commission
The Infrastructure Planning Commission began operating on 1 October 2009 as the examining and in certain circumstances the decision making body for proposed nationally significant infrastructure projects in England and Wales...
some time between January and March 2011, but that March the date was moved back to that summer. The build time for the station is expected to be around 30 months, and so it is expected to be receiving fuel and operational by 2015, if planning permission is granted.
Proposed specification
Once fully operational, the station would generate 100 megawatts (MW) of electricity. This would equate to over 750 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity a year, enough to power 170,000 average British homes. through burning a mixture of biomass fuels. In a year the station would burn between 500,000 and 900,000 tonnes of woodchipsWoodchips
Woodchips are a medium-sized solid material made by cutting, or chipping, larger pieces of wood. Woodchips may be used as a biomass solid fuel. They may also be used as an organic mulch in gardening, landscaping, restoration ecology and mushroom cultivation...
, wood pellets, wood briquette
Wood briquette
Wood briquettes are made of dry, untreated wood chips . They are pressed with high pressure without any binder. By compacting the wood with this high pressure, it turns into a fuel like brown coal.-Advantages:...
s and recycled chipped wood. This fuel would be delivered to the station via the nearby port. The electricity generated would be enough to power 150,000 homes, and would cut carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
emissions by over 300,000 tonnes per year.
The station will stand on a 5 hectare site. It is expected to feature a 105 m (344.5 ft) tall chimney
Flue gas stack
A flue-gas stack is a type of chimney, a vertical pipe, channel or similar structure through which combustion product gases called flue gases are exhausted to the outside air. Flue gases are produced when coal, oil, natural gas, wood or any other fuel is combusted in an industrial furnace, a power...
, a 65 m (213.3 ft) tall boiler house
Mechanical room
A mechanical room or a boiler room is a room or space in a building dedicated to the mechanical equipment and its associated electrical equipment. Unless a building is served by a centralized heating plant, the size of the mechanical room is usually proportional to the size of the building...
and a 25 m (82 ft) tall fuel storage warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
. New cranes, hoppers and conveyor systems will handle the station's fuel.