North East & Yorkshire

Renewable Energy for Sheffield

Blackburn Meadows Renewables- E.on, Sheffield

E.ON’s Blackburn Meadows Renewable Energy Plant is a new energy facility currently under construction in Sheffield. The plant, which burns 100% waste wood, is being built on a brownfield site close to Meadowhall Shopping Centre and replaces a former coal fire plant.

Blackburn Meadows Renewable Energy Plant will generate 30MW electrical output, providing approximately 40,000 homes. The plant will displace the emissions of around 80,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year – the equivalent of removing 20,000 cars off UK roads – and burns carbon neutral fuel instead of traditional fossil fuels, such as coal and gas.

The site is located 5.5km north east of Sheffield city centre and once operational will create up to 30 full-time jobs. The plant includes a single generating unit with a combustor and boiler, a fuel reception facility to receive biomass fuel, a boiler house, turbine hall, flue gas treatment and stack and an administration building.

To facilitate the plant, a new access road has been installed, providing access from the site to an existing primary substation. E.ON is funding the £120 million project and once work is complete on the scheme, E.ON will also manage and supply the energy generated from the site.

Commenting on the creation of the new plant, Sheffield City Council Councillor, Leigh Bramall, said:

“We are pleased to see the construction on site and we continue to support E.ON’s investment in the city. The council is committed to working with the private sector to develop renewable energy projects to reduce carbon emissions and to ensure the security of energy supplies in the longer term.”

Civil works began on Blackburn Meadows in January 2012 and the project is currently scheduled to reach completion in summer 2014. At present turbines are being installed.

E.ON is the project manager on the site, whilst Building Design Partnership is providing all architectural services. BAM Nuttall is the civil contractor on Blackburn Meadows.

Plant and mechanical contractor Peter J Douglas Engineering (PJD) is responsible for the installation and erection of the main boiler and plant items on Blackburn Meadows. The company is also involved with the fabrication and installation of pipework on the site.

PJD Project Director, Steven Cooke, said:

“The new build market is key for our future growth, so our involvement on this project is very important to us. We are delivering a high quality service on this project, which marks the first time that we have been onboard a site from the very beginning. This work allows the Group to manage its transition into the new build market so it is vital that we complete everything to the best of our ability.”

Commenting on the creation of this new facility in Sheffield, E.ON Project Manager, Luke Ellis, said:

“With this being a brownfield site, before we could get work underway we had to undertake some important remediation works. This allowed us to remove any materials from the original site and once this was complete the civil works began.

“The remediation contract included various environmental works, to ensure that there was nothing contaminating the site. We also monitored background noise in the area.

“We worked to very strict legislation with every aspect of the plant carefully considered during the planning stages.”

Luke added:

“This site is perfect for Blackburn Meadows as it has a strong heritage of power production. The site originally produced power in the 1970s but stood empty since 2008 when the former facility was demolished.”

In order to get the local community involved in the creation of the new plant, a visitors centre is being constructed, where residents and school pupils will be kept updated on the project once it opens. Once Blackburn Meadows is fully operational, the renewable energy produced will contribute towards the Government’s promise to meet 10% renewable energy.

Luke said:

“This project is very important to E.ON, we have spent a great deal of time developing the scheme and now it is being constructed we are extremely pleased to see it taking shape. Renewable energy is a big focus of the future and it is fantastic that we are developing this new plant in Sheffield.”

E.ON is one of the UK’s leading power and gas companies, generating electricity and retailing gas and power. The company’s aim is deliver cleaner and more efficient energy services and technologies which are specifically designed to meet their customers’ requirements.

For more information about E.ON, please visit: www.eon-uk.com.

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