14.01.08
Helius Energy welcomes increased support for biomass in proposed Energy Bill
Biomass-to-power company Helius Energy plc (Helius Energy) today welcomed the increased support for biomass projects contained in the UK Government's Proposed Energy Bill published today.
John Seed, Helius Managing Director, said : "We are very pleased to see that the Government has strengthened its support for the Renewables Obligation (RO) to drive more rapid deployment of renewables in the UK, particularly emerging technologies."
Helius Energy was established to install and operate both larger 65MW and smaller 5MW biomass-fired renewable energy generation plants, designed to meet the growing need for reliable power and to support the move away from fossil fuels. The Group is positioned to take advantage of renewable energy legislation developed to combat climate change.
Each 65MW plant is expected to save around half a million tones of CO2 each year, and the application for consent for the company's first 65MW plant in Stallingborough went to the Department for Business Energy and Regulatory Reform late last year. The Feedstock used in this plant would qualify either as dedicated regular biomass, which would be eligible for 1.5 Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) per Megawatt hour (MWh), or as dedicated biomass burning energy crops which would be eligible for 2 ROCs/MWh. This is a significant uplift on the current regime of 1 ROC/MWh.
Helius Energy is also progressing the development of smaller 5MW Greenswitch biomass power stations that will be co-located with producers of suitable biomass feedstock, such as distilleries and food manufacturers. Power generation from residues from non-energy crops would qualify as dedicated regular biomass and would be eligible for 1.5 ROCs. Helius announced in December that it had entered into an agreement with the Combination of Rothes Distillers in Morayshire for the development of its first "GreenSwitch" small scale biomass CHP plant.
| For further details contact: | ||
| John Seed, Managing | Director Helius Energy plc | 01642 438 540 |
| Tom Griffiths, Antonio Bossi | Arbuthnot Securities | 020 7012 2000 |
| Ken Cronin, Robert Speed, Kate Hill | Gavin Anderson & Company | 020 7554 1400 |
