BIOMASSNEWS¦ UK announces Renewable Obligation subsidy levels
Weltec develops biogas plant in Switzerland
U.K. Installed biomass power capacity (in MW) 2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Dedicated biomass power
211
219
300
330
1,159
Cofiring, biomass portion
201
180
208
266
338
*Data sourced from U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change
The U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change has published level of financial support that will be available for large-scale renewable power generators from 2013-’17 under its Renewables Obligation subsidies program. An altered definition of biomass conversion and cofiring will increase incentives for existing plants to use more biomass. Under the new subsidy levels, support for the conversion of coal-fired plants to biomass-fired plants has been maintained at one Renewables Obligation Credit per MWh. The subsidy for cofiring has been modified to stepped levels that more accurately reflect the cost elements of different cofiring levels, and what is affordable for both enhanced and standard cofiring. Existing plants are able to gain credit for cofiring and conversion on a generating-unit basis, which allows more flexibility for generators to move to full conversion over time. It is estimated that the revised banding levels could spur between £20 billion ($31 billion)and £25 billion of new investment between 2013 and 2017.
Germany-based Weltec Biopower GmbH is building a 370 kW biogas plant in Bure, Switzerland, for Bio.Etique.Energy SA. The facility is expected to begin operations in November. Once the plant is running at capacity, it will feed approximately 3 GWh of electricity into the grid per year and supply 2.6 GWh of excess heat to military barracks. The facility will take in agricultural waste as feedstock, including liquid manure, dung, green waste and grain waste. Weltec said that the plant will utilize a wet fermentation process, which is suitable for processing heterogeneous wastes. The biogas facility will feature a 3,994-cubic-meter fermenter, a 45-cubic-meter solid matter dosing feeder, and a gas-tight storage unit with a capacity of 4,078 cubic meters. Weltec also recently announced that its client Fernbrook Bio won the 2012 UK AD & Biogas Association’s Best Biogas Project award for its 1.5 MW biogas plant in the U.K.