Construction has begun on a new biomass power plant at the Northern Netherlands port of Delfzijl. The site is a 7 hectare piece of land and when it is completed the power plant will be capable of producing 50MW of electricity by using 300,000 metric tons of recycled wood.
The project is being developed for the Dutch energy supplier Eneco and will add to other renewable energy sources for the company such as wind and solar power. The name of the project – Bio Golden Raand – was provided by a local citizen through a program designed to allow the local people to participate in the project.
Image: ENECO
The facility will convert the waste wood waste by using a circulating fluidized bed boiler to burn the biomass fuel that will be brought in by rail, truck and sea. The fluidized bed combustion technology will use a hot sand bed to ensure optimal combustion of the biomass. The majority of the wood that will be used by the facility will come from the immediate surrounding area. However, it is envisaged that some will be shipped from abroad.
The power plant is located very close to the sea and water will be taken from the North Sea to provide cooling when required. This method of cooling will help to enable an electrical efficiency for the plant of as high as 37%. Potential issues such as the possible intake of fish and other sea life has been examined and measures have been devised to return any marine life back to the sea.
Joining Eneco on the project are several European-based EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contractors and technology providers, including Areva Renewables GmbH out of Germany, Ballast Nedam Infra out of the Netherlands and Metso Power of Finland. During construction, at least 350 jobs will be created. Ruijter said the EPC contract awarded by Eneco totalled €155 million ($199 million).
Factors such as the permits and contracts required to get the project underway have now been completed which leaves the way clear for the construction process to proceed without delays. When it has been completed the facility will provide employment to 30 people.