June 5th 2008
Go ahead for renewable energy generator in London

• World beating electrical efficiency
• Assurances over sustainability
• Green credentials endorsed by Greenpeace

Planners have given the green light for a green energy generator in East London. The renewable energy company Blue-NG will use a new form of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant fuelled by sustainably grown energy crops. The first plant will be installed at Beckton in the Borough of Newham, with construction expected to start later this year and electricity being generated from late 2010. There are plans for 7 more pilot sites in the first phase, although the technology has the potential to be used worldwide.

Blue-NG will use vegetable oil to fuel its engines. In what’s thought to be the first deal of its kind, the company will sign a binding ‘Section 106 agreement’ with the local authority, which means it can only use sustainably sourced crops.

Blue-NG will make use of a Pressure Reduction Station (PRS) on the Beckton gasworks site and will produce both electricity and heat. Some of the heat will be used by National Grid as part of the process needed to reduce gas pressure so that it is safe to use in homes and industry. This will enable National Grid to turn off its existing gas heaters. The rest of the heat will be used to make even more electricity or for district heating. Known as ChiP (Combined Heat and intelligent Power) it has an electrical efficiency rating which peaks in excess of 80% making it around a third as efficient again as the next most electrically efficient generator.

Beckton could produce up to 20MW of power - enough for over 50,000 homes and provide heat for district heating.

Commenting on the approval from planners, Blue-NG’s Chief Executive Andrew Mercer said:

“Councillors have recognised that Blue-NG can help to reduce London’s carbon emissions while helping to maintain secure and more affordable power from renewables. We are delighted to sign up to a sustainable procurement policy for our vegetable oil, which we hope will be a model of best practice. Planning approval from Newham means we are on target to be producing renewable energy in London for Londoners by 2010, helping the city to meet its sustainability goals.”

John Sauven, Director of Greenpeace UK said: “Blue-NG has made a clear commitment to sustainable practice and councillors deserve praise for including an agreement which holds them to that. This is a beacon project for other decentralised renewable generators which will help to meet electricity demands in a demonstrably sustainable way.”

Mark Fairbairn, Executive Director of Gas Distribution at National Grid commented: “This go-ahead from Newham means Blue-NG is set to deliver on the exciting promise of CHiP. In the 19th century, Simon Adams Beck built the world’s largest gasworks on this site, so it is fitting that Beckton, which is named after him, will pioneer a 21st century solution to our sustainable energy needs.”

Ends