Technology
Harnessing the latest technologies
Renewable Energy
As an advanced conversion technology (ACT), this project qualifies for a Contract For Difference (CFD) with a strike price of £119.89 (2014 price). This subsidy will be grandfathered for 15 years ensuring long-term renewable energy production and recycling.
Electricity Export
The site is conveniently located adjacent to a suitable 132 kV sub-station. The connection has been sized to provide a capacity of 25 MW export from the site. The grid connection will enable the sale of electricity to major energy consumers or electricity suppliers for distribution to homes and businesses.
Heat
The facility has been designed to be CHP ready, with a provision to retrofit equipment to allow heat offtake at a later date. Designing the plant with tomorrow’s energy requirements in mind has ensured future heat demand in the area may be satisfied with a green energy solution.
The operation can be separated into three key processes; fuel receipt, handling and storage, thermal treatment and steam/water and electricity production.
In addition to the process equipment, a number of essential complementary facilities shall be constructed such as, an administration block, control room, workshop and stores.
Feedstock will arrive at the site prepared to a specification suitable for the gasifier with only a final screening and blending carried out on site.
The gasifier feed hoppers provide a controlled flow rate of fuel across the gasifier fluidised bed which is heated to over 700°C creating syngas from the hydrocarbon content of the fuel. The syngas is sampled to ensure compliance with the Renewable Obligation Order. With the addition of air the syngas is combusted in the upper stage of the chamber to produce hot gas which is used to raise steam.
Superheated steam is fed from the boiler into a high efficiency steam turbine generator set. The plant comfortably qualifies as a Recovery Facility under the Waste Framework Directive. A small proportion of the power produced by the turbine is used to drive the plant. The plant includes suitable turbine bypass and island modes of operation to mitigate problems in case of boiler downtime or loss of grid connection.
28MWe Fluidised Bed Gasification Plant
The gasifier will create a synthetic gas (a substitute for natural gas in energy production). The gas will raise steam in a boiler which will turn a turbine in order to generate electricity.
3MWt Anaerobic Digestion Facility (AD Plant)
The AD plant will convert biodegradable organic materials into a a biomethane gas which can then be injected directly into the national gas grid. The biomethane will be transported to its intended consumer via the existing transport network.
36kWp
Solar Panels
State of the art photo-voltaic cells (PV) will be deployed across rooftops, maximising energy recovery from the land available to the development.
Gasification
Highly conditioned feedstock complements recycling rates & minimises amount of fossil-derived materials.
Lower emissions are gained through:- Lower operational temperatures
- Uniform bed temperature (no hot and cold spots)
Advancement of R&D in Gasification technology
Anaerobic Digestion
- 40,000 tonnes of source segregated material currently destined for lower technology destinations
- Proven technology recovering energy
- Can process high moisture, organic material
- Valuable outputs – Gas/RHI revenues
- Aligned with National & EU policy
- Lower emissions
- Carbon neutral process