E.ON

Steven’s Croft is the largest dedicated biomass power station in Scotland and has been generating low-carbon power since the end of 2007. It can produce enough electricity to meet the annual average needs of 70,000 homes, generating 44MW of low-carbon electricity each year.  The generating plant is owned and operated by E.ON, and runs off fuel processed in a facility located adjacent to the power station, and operated by local company A.W. Jenkinson.

The fuel mix includes:

• 60% from the nearby forestry industry in the form of logs, chips and sawdust;
• Up to 20% from short rotation coppice willow harvested by local farmers and;
• Up to 20% from recycled fibre from wood product manufacture. 
• The fuel is processed by chipping, mixing and removing any unwanted materials such as metals, stones and oversized wood particles.  
  
  

Steam created through the electricity generation process is now being used to supply James Jones & Sons Ltd with renewable heat for their wood curing process. E.ON developed and constructed a new low carbon, efficient heat supply system which delivers significant financial savings and carbon savings of around 9,000 tonnes per year for the facility next to Steven’s Croft.
 

The plant employees 40 people in the power and fuel processing facilities and makes an important contribution to supporting forestry and sawmilling operations in the area, as well as presenting a unique opportunity to the local farming community.