The Government has given the green light to a new 60 MW biomass and energy from waste plant to be built on a disused site at Tilbury Docks, Essex.
Energy firm Tilbury Green Power, a subsidiary of Express Energy, plans to build the plant which will produce enough energy to power 100,000 homes. The plant will be fuelled on wood chippings and waste wood as well as solid recovered fuel.
It is hoped the plant will be operational by 2012 and create 120 jobs.
Express Energy managing director Anu Bhambi said: We are delighted that the Government has approved our plans for a green power station on Tilbury Docks. There is a growing recognition of the need for diversity in power generation and Tilbury Green Power will play a role in achieving this. The hard work starts now and we are committed to delivering on our proposals.
Due to the location on the dock, the biomass will be delivered by boat and barge. Initially 90 per cent of the biomass will be imported from Europe and the US, with 10 per cent provided by the UK. It is hoped that as UK biomass stocks develop, more UK biomass will be used and less imported.
Energy and climate change minister Lord Hunt said: If we are to tackle climate change we must reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and also make use of renewable sources of fuel. This power station will achieve both those objectives by turning waste into energy and using biomass, which will also contribute to delivering the UKs renewable energy targets.
Express Energy operates both Express Power and Express Fuels. Express Power is developing biomass plants - like the Tilbury Green Power plant that generate electricity.