Northwest businesses get biomass boost

The £750,000 project, which is being funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), is targeting energy intensive industries with the region, such as chemical, textiles, food and drink and paper manufacturing, and particularly those that are subject to the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. Envirolink NorthWest said it was also keen to work with those that had already engaged with national low-carbon economic development body The Carbon Trust.

The programme will help companies to undertake work such as technology appraisals, detailed costings, engineering drawings, emissions modelling and environmental assessments.

Companies that have already sought an initial feasibility study and are seeking to install a biomass energy system will be the first to benefit from the programme.

Envirolink Northwest said it was launching the project because of the volatility in the energy markets, but also because biomass offered a cheaper alternative to fossil fuels and provided the opportunity to incorporate organic process wastes into the fuel mix.

Biomass is a biological material derived from living, or recently living organisms. In the context of biomass for energy, it includes plant-based materials, such as wood or straw, but can also apply to both animal and vegetable derived material.

 “The Northwest has a large number of energy intensive industries, which require process heat. Locally sourced biomass is ideally suited to meet this demand,” said senior sector development manager Nigel Blandford.

NWDA chief executive Steven Broomhead said implementing the changes could lead to increased productivity and savings for businesses “while improving their green credentials.”

Last week, The Carbon Trust published a guide on biomass heating systems and urged businesses of all sizes to invest in them, saying they could offer 90 per cent reductions in carbon emissions and save thousands of pounds a year in bills compared to fossil fuel systems, such as oil and gas.