DECC gives go ahead for North Blyth biomass plant

Computer-generated aerial view of the North Blyth Biomass Power Station. For illustrative purposes only

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has given the go ahead to North Blyth Energy Ltd to build a 99.9 megawatt (MW) wood-based biomass plant at Blyth Harbour, Northumberland.

North Blyth Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Renewable Energy Systems (RES), stated that the £250 million plant would have the capacity to generate up to 750 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity a year, enough to power 170,000 homes.

It also claimed that the plant could help the North East see 30 per cent of its energy requirements met by ‘reliable and clean renewable energy technologies’ by 2020, with ‘hundreds’ of jobs being created during the construction process.

Commenting on the approval, RES Project Manager Chris Lawson said: “We are delighted by the government’s decision to grant permission for North Blyth Power Station, which we believe will play an important part in the strong and growing renewable energy industry in South East Northumberland.

“It is also a welcome confirmation of the government’s support for sustainable, low-carbon energy projects which will make a significant contribution towards meeting the UK’s legally binding 2020 renewable energy targets.

“We now look forward to taking the project forward to construction and to kick starting this multi-million pound investment in the Blyth Estuary area.”

Speaking of the project, a DECC spokesperson said: “Sustainably sourced biomass has an important role to play as part of a balanced energy mix, enhancing energy security and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“If constructed, this development will help bring jobs and growth to the local economy.

Environmental concerns

Despite assurances that the fuel for the plant will come from ‘sustainable sourced wood sources’, environmental groups have criticised the practice of burning whole trees in biomass plants, claiming it can be more polluting than coal.

Indeed, Dirtier than Coal, a joint report by the RSPB, Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace, used the government’s own statistics to claim that burning whole trees can result in 49 per cent more emissions than burning coal.

Commenting on the report, Harry Huyton, RSPB Head of Climate Policy, said: “When trees are burnt in power stations, CO2 [carbon dioxide] comes out of the chimney, just like it does when you burn coal. The difference is that the wood is less energy dense and is wetter than coal, so it takes a lot more energy to harvest, transport, process, and finally burn it. 

“Government has justified burning trees in power stations by claiming the chimney emissions are offset by the carbon that the forest takes in when it re-grows after being harvested, but this is misleading. It can take decades, if not centuries, for the trees to recapture that carbon, leaving us with more emissions in the atmosphere now – when we least need it.”

RES claims that the burning of biomass will not lead to a lot of smoke, and that it will take measures to reduce the plant’s impact on local wildlife. It further states that noise levels from the facility will be ‘insignificant’ and that it ‘will most likely bring a noise reduction compared to the current uses at the [harbour] site.’

The harbour is already home to several renewable energy projects, including the National Renewable Energy Centre (NaREC), which runs the 100MW capacity Blyth Offshore Wind Demonstration Site. 

RES states that it expects construction to begin in early 2014, with the plant being fully operational by 2016/17.

Read more about the North Blyth biomass plant.