UK wood-chip power plant wins 2mln pound govt cash
Date: 09-Dec-02
Country: UK
"If the full potential of biomass is exploited it will make a significant contribution towards the UK's renewable energy target of 10 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2010," UK Energy Minister Brian Wilson said in a statement.
If successful, the 2.5 megawatt wood chip-fired plant with a capacity to power 2,500 homes at Castle Cary in Somerset, could be the first in a fleet of green power plants in the UK, the Department of Trade and Industry said.
The 6.43 million pound plant which uses gasification technology, turning the wood chip into a combustible gas which in turn fuels a generator, will be developed by Bronzeoak Wellman Ltd and is expected to stand ready by 2004.
"This project is particularly exciting because the plant uses new technology which will increase efficieny. This is vital if the costs of this industry are to go down," Wilson said.
Britain has a target of raising the amount of electricity from remewables to 10 percent by 2010 from a current 2.8 percent, as part of its strategy to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
As a party to the Kyoto protocol on climate change, Britain has agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 percent by 2010 on 1990's levels.
