Bioenergy Infrastructure Group and Peel Environmental announce major energy milestone at Protos in Cheshire

BIG’s 21.5MW biomass facility is the first active site at Protos, Peel’s £700m flagship energy hub located within the newly created Energy Innovation District in Ince, Cheshire.

Bioenergy Infrastructure Group (“BIG”), a specialist investor and operator in the biomass and waste-to-energy sector, and Peel Environmental, a major UK infrastructure developer in the waste, mineral and environmental technology sectors, have announced a major milestone for the Protos site with the generation of low-carbon energy from BIG’s 21.5MW biomass facility.

This biomass facility is the first active site at Protos, Peel’s £700m flagship energy hub located within the newly created Energy Innovation District in Ince, Cheshire. Located near Ellesmere Port between Manchester and Liverpool, Protos is expected to deliver over 3,000 jobs once operational and a £350 million boost to the economy per annum.

BIG’s second largest asset by production capacity within its wider portfolio of bioenergy facilities across the UK, the Ince Bio Power facility uses waste wood to generate low carbon energy which will go on to power thousands of homes and deliver CO2 savings. These substantial CO2 savings will add up to around 65,000 tonnes per annum, the equivalent of taking 40,000 cars off the road.

Protos – consented for energy production, general manufacturing and distribution uses – is Peel Land and Property’s flagship energy site. It will bring together energy generators alongside energy-intensive industries and relevant supply chains. Phase One infrastructure has now been completed, with the development site now open for business.

Neil Bennett, Commercial Director at Bioenergy Infrastructure Group, comments:

“As one of BIG’s first investments in the bioenergy sector, this major achievement at Ince Bio Power, and within the Protos hub, is an important step in delivering our wider strategy of generating more than 200MW of low carbon power from waste – sustainably supporting the UK’s increasingly electricity-intensive economy, regional economic development and local job creation.”

Jane Gaston, Development Director at Protos, comments:

“Our first occupier generating low-carbon energy from site is a major milestone for Protos.  It symbolises investor confidence in the energy destination we’re creating in the North West and follows our neighbouring wind farm coming on stream last year.

“We continue to invest in utilities infrastructure that will significantly increase our ability to import and export power from Protos, and are looking forward to securing further energy-related tenants on the surrounding consented plots.”

Philip Cox, Chief Executive of the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership, comments:

“The launch of BIG’s new biomass facility at Protos represents a major landmark investment not only in Protos but in Cheshire and Warrington. Energy is increasingly a top priority for business and we have some of the country’s most energy intensive businesses in our region. BIG’s new biomass facility is a very welcome low carbon addition to our energy mix, ensuring that we are providing secure, affordable and clean energy, which is vital to our continued economic growth.”