Lagan Construction Group have started construction of a £160 million biomass plant at Port Clarence, Teesside, which is expected to become a major outlet for waste wood in the North East of England.
The Port Clarence Renewable Energy Plant will have capacity to treat an estimated 325,000 tonnes of waste wood per year. Danish energy-from-waste specialist Babcock and Wilcox Vølund will operate the plant, with building work being carried out by Lagan Construction Group in partnership with Eco2. The development at Port Clarence will create about 30 direct jobs and support a further 300 jobs at the peak of the build.
The plant will generate around 40MW of power, the equivalent of powering around 75,000 homes in Tees Valley and elsewhere in the North East. Situated on the banks of the River Tees at Clarence Works, the facility secured planning permission from Stockton-on-Tees borough council in 2014. The development is the largest of its kind that can be approved at a local authority level
The development was ceremonially started by Councillor Bob Cook, leader of Stockton Borough Council, who broke first ground on the site. Councillor Bob Cook, welcomed the investment in the region.
“Glennmont’s investment in our borough is certainly welcomed as through the introduction of technologies such as biomass they can help grow our economy and create jobs for local people. I am delighted to see the Port Clarence Energy project begin to come to fruition and I’m looking forward to residents and businesses benefitting from the energy it will produce. The council is committed to working with the private sector to help them explore opportunities to develop renewable energy products like this which will help to reduce carbon emissions.”Councillor Bob Cook, leader of Stockton Borough Council