Biomass opening

25 December 1998

Biomass opening

BRITAINS first significant biomass powered electricity station at Eggborough, W Yorks is well on its way to becoming a reality for local growers.

Designed to generate electricity from short rotation coppice, plus farm and forestry waste, it will need about 42,000t of biomass fuel to produce 8MW of electricity a year – enough to power about 8000 homes.

At a ceremony to lay the power stations foundation stone, energy and industry minister John Battle said: "I fully expect the generation of electricity from energy crops to play an increasingly important role in achieving our national and international carbon dioxide reduction targets as well as contributing to sustainable energy development."