New biomass terminal planned for Port of Liverpool

A new £100 million biomass terminal planned for the Port of Liverpool is expected to handle up to 3 million tpy of wood pellets as part of the decarbonisation of Drax power plant, North Yorkshire, UK. The wood pellets will provide a new and sustainable low carbon fuel source. They will be shipped to Liverpool from North American and then sent via rail to Drax.

This move towards sustainable biomass will reduce its CO₂ emissions by approximately 12 million tpy.

Andy Koss, CEO of Drax Power, said: “The biomass terminal at the Port of Liverpool will enable us to further our ambitious decarbonisation plans to ensure Drax continues to lead the charge when it comes to creating sustainable, affordable renewable power’.

The terminal is part of Peel Ports plans for expanding the Port of Liverpool. Peel Ports intends to invest £100 million into this new biomass terminal. Mark Whitworth, CEO of Peel Ports, commented: “Our new relationship with Drax illustrates the importance of east/west connectivity in driving growth and creating jobs in the north of England. In addition, it shows how globally important assets, such as the Port of Liverpool, can be used to unlock the potential of the Northern Powerhouse by helping businesses, like Drax, ensure the security of their supply by putting in place well thought out global duple chains.”

Graham Construction will build the new biomass terminal, which includes a rail loading facility and a 100 000 t storage capacity. It is anticipated the terminal will create 47 permanent jobs at Port of Liverpool and the construction and supply chain will create an additional 300 jobs.

Executive Director at Graham Construction, Leo Martin, said: “This project builds on the experience we have gained from building similar facilities on the east coast of England. We will be designing and building a state-of-the-art plant, which will employ industry-leading technologies to ensure that the facility can be safely operated and maintained.

The new terminal is planned to open in October 2015 and commence full operations in July 2016.

Edited from Press Release by Harleigh Hobbs

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/handling/29062015/new-biomass-terminal-planned-for-port-of-liverpool-2481/