Brigg energy plant opens and launches £150k community grant scheme

The Energy Plant was officially opened by Mayor of North Lincolnshire Trevor Foster, in the presence of local, national and European dignitaries, including Clifford Graham Rowles Nicholson DL, the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Lincolnshire.

The project also announced the launch of an initial three-year Community Benefit Fund which will contribute £50,000 a year in grants to the local community.

“We are delighted that such high calibre European companies wish to invest in the UK and in North Lincolnshire in particular,” said Coun Foster.

“Their announcement today of the Brigg Community Benefit Fund reinforces their commitment to the local area, and we look forward to working with them for many years to come.”

The renewable energy plant is the largest dedicated straw fired biomass plant in the UK and consumes 250,000 tonnes of straw per year which is sourced from farmers in the local community.

It generates 40MW of electricity every hour, enough to supply 75,000 homes.

The plant is owned by BWSC North Lincs Ltd (BNLL), a joint venture between PensionDanmark, Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor A/S (BWSC) and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP).

The GBP £162million investment is based on biomass energy technology supplied by BWSC under a turnkey engineering, procurement, and construction contract. BWSC is responsible for operation and maintenance of the plant under a 15-year operation and maintenance agreement.

“We are very pleased with the good cooperation with CIP and BWSC,” said Torben Möger Pedersen, Chief Executive Officer, PensionDanmark.

“With the joint venture, we have found a model that provides PensionDanmark with a stable return with limited risks.

“At the same time, we are helping to increase Danish energy technology exports.

“We therefore see strong potential in these types of partnerships”.

Anders Heine Jensen, Chief Executive Officer of BWSC, added: “We have worked closely with North Lincolnshire Council and many other statutory agencies, and it is the joint effort of all parties involved in the project which have resulted in the project being delivered ahead of time and within budget.

“I would also like to thank all local residents especially in Scawby and Scawby Brook for their support during the construction phase, and we look forward to continuing the good relationship with them through the operational phase”.

Jakob Baruël Poulsen, Managing Partner of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, said: “We are delighted to have formally opened our power plant.

“This has been achieved with great success thanks to our partners, investors and local stakeholders.

“Thanks must also go to the UK Government who have provided the stable regulatory framework that has enabled investments into renewable energy infrastructure such as the Brigg Renewable Energy Plant”.