E.ON said that the approval means that construction at the site of the former coal-fired power station could start as early as 2009, with full commercial operation expected in 2011.
The new power station will be rated at around 25MW and will produce enough power for approximately 40,000 homes by burning recycled wood. The plant will displace the emission of around 80,000 tonnes of CO2 every year, the equivalent of taking more than 20,000 cars off the UK’s roads each year.
Blackburn Meadows is E.ON’s second biomass development in the UK. The utility’s first such facility in Steven’s Croft near Lockerbie, Scotland, is reportedly one of the largest dedicated biomass power stations in the country.
Dave Rogers, E.ON’s regional director for climate & renewables, said: We are delighted that the city council has given us the green light to develop this project. Biomass power stations offer us an exciting opportunity to help combat climate change by using carbon neutral products in the place of traditional fossil fuels to generate electricity.
