Biomass
The region offers:
- Access to leading and established biomass projects
- A cluster of experienced companies working in the biomass sector
- A strong and established platform for energy companies to work together
- A region renowned worldwide for its first-class R&D and academic excellence
As an agricultural area, the East of England is ideal to exploit the potential of biomass. A high percentage of the UK’s pig and poultry farms are in the region, offering huge opportunities for the use of resultant waste as fuel. The well-established regional energy industry and supply chain means biomass can be developed quickly and incorporated into the system.
Existing East of England biomass plants include:
- Ely Power Station - the world’s largest straw-burning power station generating 38MW
- Eye Power Station - fuelled by poultry litter, horse bedding and feathers (12.7MW)
- Thetford Power Station - fuelled by poultry litter (38.5MW)
Four more biomass power stations planned for the region: Mendlesham REP (straw burning); Peterborough Energy Park; Thetford Wood Power Station; and Tilbury Docks.
The region's renewables industry is supported by world class R&D and academic excellence, with major centres like Cranfield University’s Institute of Water and Environment, the University of East Anglia and Writtle College, home to the Centre for Environmental and Rural Affairs.
Biomass energy can be used to generate electricity and heat or for the production of liquid transport fuels such as bioethanol, a petrol additive or substitute, and biodiesel, a substitute for the conventional fuel.
