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UK power plant picks Nexterra biomass gasification

Vancouver-based Nexterra Systems Corp. has signed a contract with MWH to supply a biomass gasification system for the Birmingham Bio Power Ltd. (BBPL) renewable energy power plant in Tyseley, UK.

Developed by Carbonarius, the plant will be capable of producing more than 10 MW of renewable electricity for sale to the grid. The Nexterra gasification system is a cornerstone of the £47.8-million project that will use 67,000 tonnes/year of locally-sourced class A – C recovered wood diverted from landfills to produce steam that will be converted into electricity through a steam turbine and generator system. The plant will supply enough electricity to power 17,000 homes and is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) by 107,000 tonnes per annum.

Nexterra will design and supply the complete biomass gasification-to-steam generation system from feedstock handling to emission controls, including four gasifiers, a high pressure boiler, and a flue gas treatment system. MWH, a global environmental, engineering and construction services company, will be responsible for construction and installation of the system as well as the balance of the plant, including the steam turbine and associated equipment used to produce the power.

This is Nexterra’s first project in the UK after successfully delivering seven commercial plants in Canada and the United States. Export Development Canada (EDC), Canada’s export credit agency, has provided support for this project.

Ian Brooking of Carbonarius commented: “Nexterra has demonstrated that they have a proven, robust gasification platform that will handle the wood waste feedstock available in the UK while still meeting the stringent UK emission regulations.”

Nexterra Systems Corp. is a leader in plant-scale, energy-from-waste gasification systems for the production of clean, renewable heat and power.