B&W Volund to supply biomass-fired boilers to Denmark facility

By Babcock & Wilcox Volund | August 14, 2014

DONG Energy has chosen Babcock & Wilcox Vølund as supplier of two complete biomass-fired boiler systems and equipment to the Skærbæk Power Station in Fredericia, Denmark, with a value of close to approximately 500 million DKK ($89.66 million). The plant will convert wood chips and biomass residues into electricity and district heating and will have an annual capacity of approximately 280 MW. The contract was won after a competitive bid, and the new plant will be operational in the beginning of 2017.

"At Babcock & Wilcox Vølund we are obviously very excited and happy to have won this big, prestigious project for DONG Energy. For a long period, investments in new biomass-fired plants have been restrained - both in Denmark and internationally - due to the global financial crisis and uncertainty about the prices of the different types of fuels used for power generation. Therefore, we are of course delighted that DONG Energy - the largest producer of energy in Denmark - with this contract has focused on the many benefits of climate-friendly energy production based on biomass," said John Veje Olesen, managing director of Babcock & Wilcox Vølund.

“The contract with Babcock & Wilcox Vølund for two boiler systems for the new wood chip-fired biomass plant of the Skærbæk Power Station is important as it is the largest single transaction in connection with the conversion of the power station into a biomass-fired plant. We have evaluated the offers from both Danish and international suppliers based on a comprehensive technical and financial review and we have chosen Babcock & Wilcox Vølund,” said Thomas Dalsgaard, executive vice president of DONG Energy.

The new biomass plant will have a capacity of combusting up to 154 tons per hour. Babcock & Wilcox Vølund will design the plant for 24 hours of continuous operation throughout the year - only interrupted by short periods of maintenance. The total running time will thus be at least 8,000 hours per year for each of the two boilers.