Tees Valley biomass plant backed by council
PLANS for the Tees Valley’s largest biomass plant have moved a step closer to reality.
Redcar and Cleveland Council’s planning committee raised no objections yesterday to the application for the 300MW Teesport plant, which owner-operator MGT Power said would generate £30m a year for the local economy.
The project will create 600 construction, 150 permanent and 450 supply-chain jobs. Plans will now be passed to Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband.
MGT director Ben Elsworth said it hoped to start building by mid-2009.
“We hope Ed Miliband will show determination in delivering these jobs for Teesside in difficult financial times.”
Teesside’s green energy sector has suffered a string of setbacks this year. Vireol’s bioethanol plant has been delayed by Government plans to slow the UK green fuels agenda and D1 Oils was forced to move production abroad, blaming heavily subsidised US imports. MGT Power’s plans are subject to a long list of environmental and community conditions.
Green energy consultant Ian Waller, of Five Bar Gate, said the decision process, under Section 36 of the 1989 Electricity Act, was rigorous. “This is good news for the renewables hub in the Tees Valley, however the decision could be subject to new requirements such as guarantees of origin and the EU renewables directive.”
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