A new renewable energy plant costing over £120 million is to be built on the outskirts of Sheffield, next to the site where the Old Tinsley cooling towers used to reside.
The energy plant, which is owned by E.ON will burn waste wooden products, to produce electricity for approximately 40,000 residential and commercial properties.
Speaking of the contract, Kevin Mannion Production Director at Geo Robson, expressed: “This is a great opportunity for Sheffield and Robson to showcase their engineering skills and manufacturing quality, particularly so in the current economic climate.”
Geo Robson & Co Ltd have secured a £14 million contract to supply the new commercial property in Sheffield with biomass handling systems, which will help reduce E.ON’s carbon footprint by reducing power consumption, as well as noise and dust levels. The system will also optimise how the lorry is unloaded by installing a tripper conveyor in a storage warehouse, which will move the whole length of the commercial property, to create an even supply of wood to the furnace.
So how will the commercial property reduce its carbon footprint?
The renewable commercial property will burn carbon natural fuel instead of traditional fossils fuels, like gas and coal. This could potentially displace 80,000 tonnes of emissions every year, which is equivalent of removing around 20,000 cars from the roads.
Speaking of the green impacts, Dave Rogers, Regional Director for Renewables, stated: “As our commitment to Sheffield demonstrates, we’re leading the development of renewable energy in the UK and biomass power stations, such as Blackburn Meadows, form an important part of that low-carbon solution.”
Previously the site belonged to the Blackburn Meadows Power Station, but this was demolished in the 1980’s. However, the cooling towers did remain at the site right up until 2008, when they were demolished, leaving Sheffield’s skyline with a piece of history missing.
However, the missing element in the city’s skyline could soon be filled as E.ON have agreed to give £500,000 towards a new piece of artwork to fill the vacant space. As well as improving the skyline, E.ON have pledged to use waste wood that is locally sourced in addition to using local companies during the construction of the plant.
The company also wants the local community to benefit from the plant and have agreed to pledge £25,000 every year, for the lifetime that the plant is running, to help local projects.
Work on the plant is expected to start next year and will be completed by summer 2014.
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