Biomass plant may be built elsehwhere (From Daily Echo)
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Giant energy plant may now be constructed on a different site
11:27am Thursday 15th November 2012 in Southampton
By Bethan Phillips, Reporter
Artist's impression of the giant energy plant in Southampton Docks.
It has been one of the most controversial planning rows to hit Southampton for years.
Computer images of what a giant energy plant in Southampton Docks would look like looming over residents’ homes sparked outrage, But now householders battling the controversial biomass plant could be on the verge of victory, the Daily Echo understands.
Speculation is mounting that the £300m scheme could be moved to a different site.
A huge campaign has been mounted against plans to put the plant within yards of homes in Freemantle and Regents Park.
Now the developers behind the scheme, Helius Energy, have revealed that a planning application for the project will be delayed until next year.
And, when asked, Southampton City Council leader Richard Williams also refused to be drawn on whether the hold-up is because a new location has been agreed.
As reported in the Daily Echo, Cllr Williams asked last month for Helius to meet him and discuss where the huge biomass plant could be placed at an alternative site.
He said that he had been “looking at the issue” for quite some time and it was “not an idle promise” that he could suggest other locations. But he was tight-lipped yesterday on what progress he had made with Helius, despite admitting he had met with representatives from the company twice since he became council leader.
He said: “I have no update.
“Yes we have had discussions but there is nothing we can tell you at the moment – no comment at this stage.
“I welcome the fact that it’s been delayed; I think that’s very prudent but at the moment I can’t say any more than that.”
Helius says the planning application has been delayed so that the responses to a recent consultation could be reviewed.
The survey had caused controversy because the company claimed that 52 per cent of respondents had chosen a “Marine” design for the 100-megawatt wood-fired plant, but campaigners criticised the statistic because they said many residents had written “none of the above” as their response and these had not been included in the results.
In a statement Helius planning director Paul Brighton said: “We will now be submitting in the first quarter of 2013.
“We’re taking longer to consider the public consultation responses.
“It’s taking time to put all the documents together under the procedures that we need to go through.”
Campaigners welcomed speculation that it could be moved to another location.
But No to Southampton Biomass spokesman Steven Galton said: “The site at Southampton docks is not suitable for large scale development because of how close it is to residents’ homes.
“But for large-scale biomass I don’t think anywhere’s suitable and if it moved I would continue to fight against it.”
Resident Bob Skinner, 55, who lives in Freemantle – next to the current proposed site – said he believed the docks location was too close to homes.
He said: “My main objection is that it will be so near to people’s houses – it’s quite an imposing building and it will be within 200-300 feet from people’s front doors.
“There’s been a few fires in biomass plants over the last few months and some people will be about 250 yards from the site – it’s very close.”
Comments(11)
Dan Soton
says...
3:21pm Thu 15 Nov 12
This government is winding down subsidies for large inefficient Wood Biomass plants like Helius's and favouring Wood/Coal Co-Firing, reason being burning imported trees is far worse for the climate than burning coal
The Wickham Man
says...
4:25pm Thu 15 Nov 12
seatraders
says...
9:11am Fri 16 Nov 12
The Wickham Man wrote:The Wickham Man hits the nail right on the head! Irresponsible journalism too. It's NOT the view from Shirley Road (as andyfidler points out), it's Foundry Lane, plus it's an old design, not the proposed one!
Bye bye jobs, bye bye prosperity for the next generation. Hello stupidity, hello nimbyism, hello selfishness, hello uneployment, hello power cuts if the pinky greens actually get what they want, bye bye Southampton's importance as an industrial city, bye bye Ikea hello Poundland, bye bye Sainsburys hello Netto. And still the nimbies don't get it.
What's more, if the plant can be found within 300 feet of anybody's home you could knock me down with a feather!
Let's just get on and build it eh and add to Southampton's already historically significant CHP network.
Sam Mifsud
Badger Farm
Dan Soton
says...
12:54pm Fri 16 Nov 12
By 2020 some of your so called nimby neighbours will be power self sufficient, what they care about now is subsiding your inefficient Wood Biomass electricity.
you say hello power cuts, according to The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) we are using 30% less electricity today than we did way back in 1980.
that trend is escalating downward and that's why there's a lack of private investment in old or new eco power generation.
Wickham man it's time you stepped up to the mark... if you're worried about the lights going out stop relying on subsidised get rich quick scams to provide your power.
freemantlegirl2
says...
1:19pm Fri 16 Nov 12
Dan Soton wrote:If he could power the national grid with his trolling, we would go on for centuries! ;)
Wickham man.. no one cares where you choose to shop.
By 2020 some of your so called nimby neighbours will be power self sufficient, what they care about now is subsiding your inefficient Wood Biomass electricity.
you say hello power cuts, according to The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) we are using 30% less electricity today than we did way back in 1980.
that trend is escalating downward and that's why there's a lack of private investment in old or new eco power generation.
Wickham man it's time you stepped up to the mark... if you're worried about the lights going out stop relying on subsidised get rich quick scams to provide your power.
Correct about the wrong view, BUT it demonstrates 'where' it would be sited.
Good news if they do move it BUT how long will it take for people to realisethis isn't a 'green' option, not supported by Friends of the Earth or the Green Party (big clue there about green credentials). It takes 25 years for a tree to grow and cancel out a carbon footprint caused by biomass, it's dangerous (as the half dozen recent fires have shown) and not a long term solution.
Well done Dan, the government should be pumping this money into getting us ALL to take individiual responsibility for using less, producing our own and being greener.
I think the above person is right, Helius is in trouble too...... Just because they move it it doesn't mean it's right.
Haforn
says...
1:46pm Fri 16 Nov 12
Danae
says...
2:47pm Fri 16 Nov 12
It is an accurate scaled professional image by Landmark, the Bristol-based Landscape consultants employed by Helius.
The view is from the junction of Shirley Road, looking down Dyer Road to the suggested power station half a mile away.
The more prominent building shown is the 200 foot high boiler house.
While Helius’ intended boiler house positioning and cladding has changed since May 2012, the structure remains of similar height, closely comparable to that of Southampton's tallest existing office and apartment towers.
SteveVis
says...
3:46pm Fri 16 Nov 12
The Wickham Man wrote:The number of direct jobs that this company are offering Southampton when compared against the cost to the city doesn't begin to justify their presence. I would happily defended the plant if they had been offering serious employment to the city. (It certainly needs it right now. So no, my objection is not based on being a 'pinky green', or being a nimbyist) However, the number of jobs they are going to bring is pitiful, and the final result could be companies may not want to put major investment into areas around the site. Then it won't be a case of bye bye Ikea, hello Poundland. It'll be a case of good bye Southampton, hello Detroit.
Bye bye jobs, bye bye prosperity for the next generation. Hello stupidity, hello nimbyism, hello selfishness, hello uneployment, hello power cuts if the pinky greens actually get what they want, bye bye Southampton's importance as an industrial city, bye bye Ikea hello Poundland, bye bye Sainsburys hello Netto. And still the nimbies don't get it.
skin2000
says...
10:24am Sat 17 Nov 12
The Wickham Man wrote:All is not lost, when I was speaking to Paul Brighton, he stated that Helius had looked at two other sites........One in Wickham and one in Locks Heath......Perhaps?
Bye bye jobs, bye bye prosperity for the next generation. Hello stupidity, hello nimbyism, hello selfishness, hello uneployment, hello power cuts if the pinky greens actually get what they want, bye bye Southampton's importance as an industrial city, bye bye Ikea hello Poundland, bye bye Sainsburys hello Netto. And still the nimbies don't get it.
Dan Soton
says...
1:13pm Tue 27 Nov 12
Dan Soton wrote:Apologies folks.
Wickham man.. no one cares where you choose to shop.
By 2020 some of your so called nimby neighbours will be power self sufficient, what they care about now is subsiding your inefficient Wood Biomass electricity.
you say hello power cuts, according to The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) we are using 30% less electricity today than we did way back in 1980.
that trend is escalating downward and that's why there's a lack of private investment in old or new eco power generation.
Wickham man it's time you stepped up to the mark... if you're worried about the lights going out stop relying on subsidised get rich quick scams to provide your power.
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It would of been more accurate to say.. According to The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) we are using approx 30% less domestic, services and industry (not including transport) power today than we did way back in 1980.
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http://www.statistic
s.gov.uk/resources/f
inalenergyconsumptio
n_tcm119-23575.jpg
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Thanks freemantlegirl , given today's (if true) Saltwater Algae Biofuel news we can all say cheerio to Helius's land grabbing, pollution generating timber/grass incinerator plans..
hopefully all money/subsidies saved will be winging their way to the University of Southampton's (dream team’ of top scientists ) Saltwater Algae Biofuel research.
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http://www.southampt
on.ac.uk/mediacentre
/news/2010/mar/10_32
.shtml
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SALTWATER ALGAE VIABLE FOR BIOFUELS.
Published on November 27, 2012 at 3:53 AM.
The Algae Biomass Organization, the trade association for the U.S. algae industry today hailed the findings of a University of California at San Diego study that concludes, for the first time, that marine (saltwater) algae can be just as capable as freshwater algae in producing biofuels.
The research is documented in a peer-reviewed paper published online in the current issue of the scientific journal Algal Research.
"What this means is that you can use ocean water to grow the algae that will be used to produce biofuels. And once you can use ocean water, you are no longer limited by the constraints associated with fresh water. Ocean water is simply not a limited resource on this planet," said Stephen Mayfield, Ph.D., a professor of biology at UC San Diego, who headed the research project.
The availability of significant saltwater environments for algae production has been documented in recent years. According to a Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's (PNNL) report, algal fuels grown in saline water from existing aquifers and recycling nutrients would be able to provide up to twice the goal for advanced biofuels set under the Energy Independence and Security Act (roughly 40 billion gallons or 20 percent of annual transportation fuel demand).
Yet until today's report, no public research had demonstrated the capability of algae to thrive in a saltwater environment.
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http://www.azocleant
ech.com/news.aspx?ne
wsID=17635
andyfidler1966 says...
1:07pm Thu 15 Nov 12