Forth Energy withdraws plans for biomass plant

Forth Energy, a joint venture between Forth Ports and energy company SSE, has withdrawn its plans to build a combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Leith, Scotland, following the announcement of new proposals to develop the Port of Leith as an offshore renewable energy hub.

Forth Energy wrote to the Scottish government’s energy consents unit, cancelling its planning application because it wants to reassess the possibility for renewable energy production at the port once all the companies involved in the development have finalised their plans.

The land availability in the port will be re-evaluated and the demand for space within the port decided under the National Renewables Infrastructure Plan which is part of a Memorandum of Understanding between Scottish Enterprise, City of Edinburgh Council and Forth Ports; and is within the Scottish government’s recently announced Low Carbon/Renewables East Enterprise Area.

Forth Ports, which owns the Port of Leith, says it wants to develop wood fuelled CHP plants at the Ports of Grangemouth, Rosyth and Dundee, as well as this renewable energy development.

‘Much has changed since we first applied for permission to build a CHP plant at Leith, not least the Port’s emerging status as a hub to support the Scottish offshore renewable energy industry,’ says Calum Wilson, MD of Forth Energy. ‘Once the configuration of the Port of Leith has been established, we will re-assess the opportunity and industrial demand for renewable energy and heat at the port.”

Charles Hammond, CEO of Forth Ports, adds: ‘The level of demand from renewables companies keen to locate at the Port  of Leith means that it is appropriate that we draw breath while we see how the land configuration at the port evolves.’