The process
Our biomass power plant accepts wood fibre and forest residues to create a blended fuel with optimal characteristics of moisture, energy content and chip size to maximise combustion efficiency.
The fuel blend is further processed by size and for the removal of metals or out of specification material prior to being fed into the main biomass power plant. The metals are collected to be recycled.
WBE sustainable circular system
Fuel combustion
Combustion of the fuel takes place by a carefully controlled process, ensuring maximum combustion and heat generation from the fuel, while keeping waste and emissions at a minimum. The plant was upgraded to further minimise emissions in 2019.
This heat is used to create steam by circulating water through many networks of boiler tubes and superheaters, which results in clean steam.
The superheated steam is directed to both a six-stage high pressure turbine, as well as a seven-stage low pressure turbine, both of which drive a synchronous alternator feeding into the National Grid, via a step-up transformer at 33KV and 15MW of base load capacity.
WBE provides the UK grid with sorely lacking and reliable renewable baseload capacity and electricity. The work we do at WBE aids the UK Government’s long term targets to reduce our national dependence on foreign sources of energy and fossil fuel electricity.
We are an operator of local green power grids
With our vertically integrated model of operations in the local South Wales area, infrastructure, sustainable forestry industry and extensive local links, WBE has a naturally resilient business model that we are now seeking to further exploit by providing green private wire arrangements to local industries.
The location of a renewable power plant, which crucially supplies reliable baseload electricity (unlike many other forms of renewable generators) in an industrial cluster lends itself to the possibilities of private wire arrangements to adjacent heavy energy users. Thereby supporting local Welsh industry in their decarbonisation and resilience goals. The long term contracts we are entering into also provide future protection against energy price increases and therefore supporting the long term viability of the South Wales local industry.