Monday 19 May 2014

Friends of the Earth object to Port Clarence Biomass power station

Friends of the Earth have objected to this new application for a Biomass power station at Port Clarence and hope that Stockton council will listen to other views rather that just going for the jobs angle.  Details of this objection are below;
1) The RSPB, GreenPeace and Friends of the Earth have examined the issue of Biomass and found it not to be carbon neutral http://tinyurl.com/meqzfbo 
2) The UK waste wood source that this power station is expected to use is likely to become increasingly scarce and there are not stringent enough regulations to stop it using other sources
3) Although this power station may have the capability for CHP (Combined Heat and Power) it is unlikely that this option will ever be taken up. The previous application looked at possible CHP usage and examined piping it across the Tees to housing on the south side, but there is no new housing stock there. MGT’s application in contrast, had several companies interested.
4) Eco2 sold its last Biomass power station straight off to another company which is not good practise http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/cardiff-biomass-plant-sold-160m-5716610 
5) Teesside has a number of biomass projects that already have planning permission; Air products, MGT, Sembcorp
6) Although this power station will not hold waste wood stock piles, a number of yards on Teesside and elsewhere that will supply this power station have had major fires one of them lasting 16 days http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/uk-wood-recycling-plant-blaze-6854278 

This is a subsidised scheme, taxpayers money, and it should be well spent. If Eco2 had expressions of interest for CHP then this would change the application, but they do not.