Forth Energy abandons plans for 3 biomass power plants

U.K.-based Forth Energy, a joint venture between SSE Ltd. and Forth Ports, has announced it will not continue with plans to develop its previously announced Grangemouth and Rosyth biomass power plants in Scotland. According to Forth Energy, both projects have gained consent from the Scottish government, and the company is investigating options to attract other developers to take the projects forward. The company has also indicated it has withdrawn its application for a third proposed project at the Port of Dundee following an objection from the Dundee city council.

Forth Energy submitted its application for the Grangemouth plant to the Scottish government in September 2010 and was granted consent for the project in June 2013. The proposed combined-heat-and-power (CHP) was expected to have the capacity to produce 120 MW of electricity and 200 MW of heat. In addition to supplying power to the grid, the plant was expected to provide potential for a district heating network to be installed in the Grangemouth area at a later date. Information released by Forth Energy in mid-2013 indicated the £465 million ($722.37 million) project was expected to take three years to build, with startup scheduled for 2017.

The planning application for the Rosyth plant was submitted in November 2011, with the Scottish government granting consent for the project in January 2014. The proposed CHP facility was expected to have the capacity to produce 120 MW of electricity and 30 MW of heat. The plant was estimated to represent a capital investment of £325 million.

Forth Energy had been seeking planning consent for the Dundee project for several years. In April 2013, the company filed a second addendum to application. According to the Forth Energy, it has now withdrawn the application for this project. In early 2012, the company withdrew its application for a fourth biomass project, which would have established a 100-MW CHP plant in Leith.