On Sept. 17, the EPC consortium formed by Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor A/S and Burmeister & Wain Energy A/S were awarded the contract for the design, supply and erection of a biomass combined heat-and-power plant (CHP) located in Cramlington in northern England. The client is Cramlington Renewable Energy Development Ltd. of the U.K.

The technology behind the 75 MWt woodchip-fired boiler is being supplied by Burmeister & Wain Energy and represents the core of the Cramlington Plant, which is the fourth biomass boiler supplied by BWE in the U.K. since 2011.

The Cramlington Plant differs from the previous biomass plants by being designed with steam reheat technology. Steam reheat allows the steam to be heated again, after having passed through the high pressure section of the steam turbine, and reintroduced to the turbine’s medium pressure section. This improves the cycle efficiency by two percent and the net electrical efficiency to 35,6 percent, enforcing both the economic and environmental advantages. With this technology it is estimated that an annual CO2 reduction of 56.000 tons is achieved in comparison with a similar natural gas-fired power plant.

The scope of supply includes a two-pass boiler, environmental control and steam turbine. The boiler has additional two passes for ECO and FGC and a water cooled vibrating grate. The environmental control includes selective noncatalytic reduction, dry desulfurization, fabric filter and continuous emissions monitoring.

The biomass fuel that is to be used at the Cramlington Power Plant will be a combination of virgin wood and forest residues from sustainable forestry and clean recycled wood chips. The Cramlington Power Plant will supply electricity to the public power grid and provide heat for two pharmaceutical companies in proximity of the plant.

Commercial operation is expected by the end of 2017.