Working for the lender, Fichtner reviewed and commented on the proposed design for the conversion of a coal-fired power station in the north of England to burn ‘black’ wood pellets. Lynemouth Power Station generates 420 MWe co-fired using bituminous coal and three types of biomass, FSC certified sawdust and woodpellets as well as olive residues. The site currently uses 1.2 million tpa of coal and aims to be 100% biomass fired.

Our main role as LTA covered the review of;

• fuel handling and storage;
• milling and combustion.

We also witnessed site trials for black pelleting milling;

• observed performance;
• inspected the mill internals after shut-down;
• reviewed black pellets behaviour in the existing materials handling plant.

Lynemouth Power Station was selected by the Government as one of the projects it favoured for a biomass conversion to extend the life of the plant, and switch to the plant from coal to renewable biomass fuel. When converted, the plant will deliver over 400MW of low carbon electricity to the National Grid, supporting the government’s climate change targets.