A new state-of-the-art biomass combined heat and power plant is to be built at Markinch in Fife.
Markinch Biomass CHP will replace the existing coal-fired plant at papermakers Tullis Russel. The £200m plant will have an installed capacity of 50MW and will reduce the carbon footprint of the site by 72%, helping to reduce Scotland’s annual carbon emissions by 250,000 tonnes per annum. Approximately 400,000 tonnes of virgin and recycled wood diverted from the landfill will be used to power the plant.
The development was announced in July 2008 and has received £8.1m in funding via the Scottish Government’s Regional Selective Assistance grant.
Chris Parr, CEO of Tullis Russell Group, said:
“This project heralds significant economic and environmental benefits for Scotland. As well as helping to secure over 500 jobs at Tullis Russell, it will create over 50 permanent jobs in the operation of the power plant and a new biomass fuel processing facility and as many as 400 further jobs during the construction phase.
“The removal of 250,000 tonnes of fossil fuel CO2 each year from our local environment will make an enormous contribution to our relentless efforts to minimise the environmental impact of our operation on the local community.”
Main contractors for the project are Metso (Finland) and Aker Solutions (Norway). Metso will provide the site’s main biomass boiler, whilst Aker Solutions will project manage construction, procure some of the plant equipment and provide support services.
Stephan Lohr, RWE Head of Biomass, said:
“The combined skills and expertise of our chosen contractors Metso and Aker Solutions will be a major asset during the construction of the new Tullis Russell biomass power plant.
“This project is RWE’s largest investment to date in biomass based power generation and part of our ongoing commitment to invest €1 billion per annum in renewable energy. In addition to this project, we are developing plans for a similar biomass plant in Lincolnshire, with an installed capacity of around 390MW by 2013.”
RWE has over 15 years experience in delivering combined heat and power projects and building, operating and owning 16 plants in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
Markinch Biomass CHP is scheduled for operation in late 2012.
