Government's green biomass energy plant looks good on paper

Published on Friday 18 July 2008 10:44

FIRST Minister Alex Salmond today hailed a major new green energy project for Scotland as he unveiled plans for a multi-million-pound biomass plant.

The project, a joint venture by energy supplier npower and papermaking firm Tullis Russell in Fife, is supported by 8.1m of government funding and will cost in excess of 100 million.

Mr Salmond was today visiting the future site of the 45-megawatt combined heat and power biomass plant in Markinch, near Glenrothes.

The plant will be built and operated by npower, creating 30 new jobs, and will provide Tullis Russell with steam and electricity, safeguarding a further 540 jobs while reducing the papermill's carbon emissions by around 250,000 tonnes each year.

Mr Salmond said the project was "tremendously exciting" and would mean economic and environmental benefits for Scotland.

He said: "The new biomass plant in Markinch is a significant investment in Scotland and pays testament to our competitive advantage in terms of skills and workforce and the development of energy supplies that are cleaner, greener and economically competitive.

"The project compliments the Scottish Government's work to make Scotland a greener, wealthier and fairer place to live and do business with."

The government has set a target to produce 31 per cent of electricity demand from renewable sources by 2011, and 50 per cent by 2020.