BioGen gets greenlight for fourth gasification plant

BioGen described the planning consent as significant because the development, at a site 10 miles west of the welsh capital, Cardiff, had been heavily contested by Friends of the Earth and local residents.

The plant, which uses gasification technology called Energos, is being developed as a sister facility to BioGen's energy from waste plant in Newport, Wales. The company, which has also won planning consent for its Energos facilities in Irvine and Doncaster recently, said the combined operations of both facilities will be capable of disposing of over 200,000 tonnes of South East Wales residual waste.

Christian Reeve, BioGen Power’s ceo commented: “The quality of the application together with the proven nature of our chosen Energos technology, enabled us to win over the hearts and minds of the planning committee and the local business community alike."

It is hoped that construction work will commence in early 2011 and will be completed early in 2013 creating some two hundred temporary jobs and over 30 full-time operational jobs.

This is the fourth planning consent Energos has received in the UK for energy from waste facilities using its gasification technology. This advanced two-stage thermal treatment process converts residual, non-recyclable waste into a gas by using the heat of partial combustion to liberate the hydrogen and carbon within the waste. The process produces syngas, which is combusted in a controlled environment that results in extremely low emissions and produces steam, which can be used to supply renewable heat and/or electricity.

“[Energos] is extremely clean, boasts very low emission and noise levels, has high operational uptime and is small scale, offering a local solution to local waste issues. In addition, the seven megawatts (MW) of exportable renewable electricity will benefit some 15,000 local homes, replacing valuable fossil fuels and reducing the associated carbon footprint,” said Reeve.

BioGen Power says it plans to develop and build at least 12 Energos facilities across the UK, resulting in the company treating over 1.5 million cubic tonnes of residual waste and generating 100 cubic MW of low carbon renewable electricity. The current waste treatment volumes in respect of consented facilities has now passed 400,000 tonnes per year.