Centrica Energy’s cancellation of two dedicated biomass stations last week was the latest sign of a shift towards converting coal-fired plant.
The company dropped plans for an 80MW plant at Briggs, north Lincolnshire, and a 137MW plant in Roosecote, near Barrow-in-Furness, saying “future policy will favour conversion”.
That news came on the back of Drax Power abandoning plans for a dedicated biomass plant at Immingham Port, north Lincolnshire, citing a lack of regulatory support.
Melanie Wedgbury, head of external affairs at Drax, said converting coal plant was the “sensible” option that would help meet carbon targets at least cost.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change was “really keen on low-cost biomass – conversion and co-firing”, she said, rather than more expensive dedicated plant.
The Renewable Energy Association (REA), on the other hand, accused the government of institutional bias against dedicated biomass and said neglecting it would harm the industry.
Gaynor Hartnell, chief executive of the REA, said: “We cannot afford to have companies with the standing and acumen of Centrica dropping out of the sector” and warned “it is hard to see the industry making any progress at all”.
She added that it would be “discriminatory” to cap dedicated biomass, as the government has proposed, and would undermine investor confidence in energy infrastructure.
This article first appeared in Utility Week’s print edition of 2nd November 2012.
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