Friday, March 11, 2011

Opinion - why Leith needs biomass

As consultation on Forth Energy's proposed biomass plant closes today, the firm's managing director Calum Wilson uses this guest blog post to 'set the record straight'

Forth Energy is proposing to develop a modern, efficient, renewable energy plant at the Port of Leith to generate both renewable electricity and renewable heat. The development will bring jobs to the area, a boost to the local economy and deliver significant carbon saving. It will be designed to meet the highest European and Scottish safety and environmental standards and will use the best available technology.

Renewable Energy Plants, such as the one we're proposing for Leith are already operational in Australia, Canada, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Scotland, Sweden, the United States of America and England. I went to visit a very similar plant – Helsingborg in Sweden. This plant is located at a port, close to, and co-existing, with an urban area. The plant supplies electricity and hot water that is piped around the city to provide heating to the community rather than relying on high carbon fossil fuels such as gas or oil. This has led to the City of Helsingborg reducing carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 90%. This is what we're hoping to achieve here.

There has been a great deal of misunderstanding around what the Leith plant will and will not be, and I'd like to set the record straight on a few of these points.

Why do we need this plant?

The proposed plant provides a low carbon source of renewable energy that offers significant carbon benefits over traditional fossil fuels. Energy security in Scotland and the UK as a whole is the subject of much discussion and concern. We believe that security can be achieved by generating energy from a range of renewable sources. Biomass plays its part in the renewable mix alongside other renewable technologies such as wind, solar and tidal. The Leith Renewable Energy Plant will be a reliable source of energy, providing both heat and electricity, helping to secure stable, low carbon energy supplies.

Benefits to Leith

The plant represents an investment of around £600 million. During the construction phase, which will last approximately three years, an average of 450 construction workers will be employed. 45 permanent operational jobs and a further 30 permanent jobs in the Port handling the fuel will be created. The plant is designed to operate for 25 years - these are jobs for a generation. Further to this, the plant will be a catalyst for growth in the local economy, putting the Port of Leith at the heart of the renewable energy industry and encouraging further investment.

Green credentials

The plant is better for the environment. We have calculated the net amount of carbon that the plant will produce over its lifetime compared with electricity from the current grid mix of technologies. For the same amount of electricity, the plant will produce around 83% less carbon. This includes the carbon dioxide produced by processing and shipping the fuel.

Health impact

Let me be very clear on this, there will be no impact to the health of local Leith residents as a result of the proposed Renewable Energy Plant. The plant will comply with the standards set by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), which is the Government body responsible for environment regulation in Scotland. SEPA will monitor and regulate the plant during its construction and operation. SEPA will only grant an operating licence to our facility once it has been demonstrated that all safety requirements have been met, and there is no possibility of impact on human health.

We have undertaken an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as part of our application to the Scottish Government. Through the detailed site specific assessment process we have been able to prove that no adverse health impacts will arise as a consequence of the plant, whatever the weather or climate condition on any day.

Fuel

Let me also be clear on the type of fuel we'll be using and where we will be sourcing it from. At no point will municipal waste or hazardous, biological or chemical waste be burnt at the plant.

The plant will be designed, and licensed, to burn a very specific range of fuel – virgin wood chips or pellets and recovered wood, paper and cardboard. Fuel combustion takes place under strictly controlled conditions; this produces high temperature steam, which is then used to generate electricity. One of the main benefits is that low carbon, renewable heat generated from the process will be able to be used to heat homes and businesses in Leith and the wider city, rather than being wasted.

I'd like to also re-affirm our commitment to sustainable fuel sourcing. The fuel will come from sustainable sources, procured from forestry that has been certified as sustainable by internationally recognised third parties such as the Forest Stewardship Council. This means that, as a minimum, any trees harvested will be replaced. We will ensure that the fuel procurement process maintains high standards on environmental, social and economic grounds.

The location and transport of fuel

The site we're proposing to build on is within an existing industrial site. The port location offers a unique advantage - enabling delivery of fuel to the plant by ship, using a low carbon form of transport and minimising impact on Edinburgh's local road network. The plant is well placed to co-exist with, and supply low carbon heat to, other developments in the area, as well as attract further investment and development around the plant.

Our proposed Renewable Energy Plant will bring benefits to the Leith area including jobs, investment and a long term contribution to the local economy. It will help tackle our current energy security and carbon dioxide emission challenges through the provision of low carbon electricity and large volumes of low carbon heat to the Leith area and wider city, reducing our current dependence on fossil fuels for the energy that we all need.

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

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