The new renewable energy plant in Sleaford will be only the second power station in the UK to be fuelled by burning straw.
NMC will be undertaking the construction of the civils and building works for main contractor Burmeister Wain Scandinavian Contractor A/S.
The plant will comprise a pair of 3,000 sq m straw barns, a wood chip import facility, combined turbine and boiler halls plus administration buildings. The external works for the four-hectare site include sustainable drainage solutions, roads and HV export facilities for the generated power, with surplus heat piped to Sleaford’s public swimming baths and some other community facilities in the town. The plant is due to be operational in 2014.
The project is one of several biomass renewable energy projects being developed by Eco2 across the UK. It will source straw mainly from local farms to generate 38MW of recovered energy, which is enough to provide power and heat for around 65,000 homes. Ash from the plant will be recycled for use as fertiliser on farmland.
NMC business development director Stuart Campbell said: “We’re delighted to be involved in such an innovative project that will have a positive impact not just on the environment but also on the local economy through the creation of jobs in the plant and through the supply chain. We have experience working with the power industry and renewable energy projects are a fast growing area for our business as alternative energy remains high on the national infrastructure agenda.”
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