The Group’s leading site is at Stallingborough on the south side of the Humber estuary, approximately 4km from the port of Immingham and near the port of Hull. The Group has secured rights to a 36 hectare site, adjacent to existing heavy industry and ideally situated for rail, road and deep-water port access with embedded infrastructure.
The project comprises a combined and integrated site hosting a 65MWe generation plant, with potential for adjacent bio-ethanol and bio-diesel processes. Its proximity to Immingham International dock and the port of Hull means that the Group can secure biomass feedstocks from both the UK and abroad.
The entire consenting, permitting, engineering and construction process is expected to take around thirty months from granting of consent approval (subject to approval being given within twelve months and the expected availability of project finance from that date).
The Helius Energy group is evaluating a number of locations through the UK which may be suitable for the development of renewable energy power plants fuelled by sustainable biomass.
Suitable sites typically provide good transport access to biomass feedstock, are located in appropriate development zones and are able to provide convenient connections to the grid.
Initially Helius Energy intends to develop up to three modular GreenSwitch™ 5MWe- 7MWe plants in the UK, located where sustainable and renewable feedstocks are readily available, such as breweries and distilleries. This avoids the costs of transporting wet feedstocks. These smaller sites will generate onsite electricity and export any surplus to the local electricity network, providing potential customers with an environmentally sustainable and economic of utilising by-products.
Through our Southern African subsidiary Helius Energy Africa (Pty) Ltd, Helius Energy is pursuing opportunities to develop its 50MWe biomass power plants and its modular GreenSwitch™ 5MWe plants in Southern Africa, which is facing an ever-growing energy crisis. Countries such as South Africa have current power output close to installed capacity and the use of biomass is forecast to increase significantly. We are in discussions with Eskom, one of the largest electricity exporters in South Africa, which will take the lead in meeting South Africa’s energy needs over the next five years. Helius Energy Africa has been supported by Eskom with a view to gaining customers for its smaller biomass-powered electricity generation plants, which could include Sappi Limited, The South African Breweries Limited and Tate & Barlow.
Additionally Helius Energy Africa has been approached to join the Power Commissions Working Party in Zambia and is in discussion with the Government of Zambia for the establishment of new power plants, and the upgrading of existing facilities. We are also in discussion with the Government of the Kingdom of Swaziland for a power supply agreement and Helius Energy Africa is looking to become an independent Power Provider to Eskom in South Africa. These projects have the potential to be eligible for Certified Emissions Reductions and their funding is expected to be secured at a local level.
