Biomass power plans for Port of Bristol

The proposed £300m Portbury Dock Renewable Energy Plant would generate 150 MW of electricity, enough power for more than 200,000 homes by burning wood that would largely be brought to the plant by ship.

Dr Paul Golby, chief executive of E.ON UK said, ‘This scheme would be one of the largest biomass power stations ever built in the UK and would make a considerable contribution to helping the Government meet its renewable energy targets.

‘Schemes such as this, together with cleaner coal, gas and new nuclear, will help us to keep the UK’s lights on, while also reducing carbon emissions and ensuring energy is as affordable as possible for our customers.’

E.ON’s plans to be build the UK’s first new coal fired power stations in more than 20 years have been met with strong opposition recently, including a high profile protest camp last month at the proposed Kingsnorth site in Kent. E.On’s investment programme also includes gas fired power stations in Kent and Derbyshire and the company is also considering building new nuclear power stations. However, its portfolio also extends into marine renewable energy, with investment in the Solway Firth and London Array offshore windfarms as well as a wave power scheme off Cornwall and a tidal stream project off Pembrokeshire.

E.ON has issued a scoping statement to North Somerset Council, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and other interested parties outlining the company’s plans and hopes to submit a full application to BERR in the middle of next year.

If the project gets the green light, construction is expected to start in 2010, with the first power being produced in 2013 and full operation would be reached in 2014.

Portbury Dock is the third of E.ON’s biomass developments in the UK. The company already operates Scotland’s largest dedicated biomass power station at Steven’s Croft near Lockerbie and, earlier this year, received permission for a 25MW biomass station in Sheffield.