Protesters angered by Port Talbot feedstock expansion

Prenergy Power is considering adding wood pellets as a feedstock to its proposed biomass plant in Port Talbot, Wales.

Construction on the £400 million ($641 million) has yet to start, but it was believed only wood chips would be used to generate energy. Neath Port Talbot Council is due to give the request a response this week.

However opposition to the proposal are set to demonstrate against any such move.

‘The whole idea of transporting potentially millions tonnes of wood half way across the world to burn it for power is crazy,’ Jeremy Bailey from the Port Talbot Residents Against Power Stations (PTTRAPS) was quoted as saying.

‘It is unsustainable and wood pellets are 30% more expensive than wood chip fuel. They are also a major fire hazard as they produce a dust which can be ignited by a spark.’

Prenergy Power claims the plant would provide power to half the homes in Wales and create 150 jobs, but PTTRAPS has gathered over 7,000 signatures in protest to the overall project.