Peel plans £70m Trafford biomass plant

PEEL Energy has announced plans to build a £70m, 20MW renewable energy plant next to Barton Bridge in Trafford.

The biomass plant will be fuelled using recycled wood, agricultural and forestry waste and energy crops.

If approval is granted by Trafford Council, it would be built on land on the south side of the Manchester Ship Canal, immediately west of Barton High Level Bridge in Trafford.

Peel Energy said that more than 100 jobs could be created during the plant’s two-year construction phase. Once complete, it will provide 15 full-time jobs.

It estimates that the plant would provide enough energy to power around 37,000 homes – a third of the total in the Trafford borough. It also said that the plant would save up to 75,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year when compared with traditional fuel sources.

Peel plans to use heat generated at the plant to supply local businesses at its Trafford Centre complex and at the nearby Trafford Park industrial estate and Port Salford.

The firm has launched a consultation process with several affected parties, including Trafford and Salford Councils, The Highways Agency and, the Environment Agency and local businesses. A public consultation will also take place at the Powerleague Soccer Dome at the Trafford Quays leisure site next Tuesday and Wednesday.

A planning application is due to be submitted to Trafford Council in the autumn. Peel Energy hopes that work could start on site in 2012 and that the plant could be generating electricity by mid-2014.

Jon England, project director at Peel Energy, said: “Our venture into dedicated biomass-fired energy generation will contribute towards government targets for higher levels of renewable electricity generation and help provide secure energy supplies for the region.

“We are keen to hear from as many interested parties as possible during our consultation phase.”