Permit obtained for more sustainable energy at Essent's Amer Power Plant
By having obtained the so-called Environmental Permit, Essent has1 taken an important step towards increasing sustainable energy production at the Amer Power Plant. The goal is to increase the percentage of biomass co-firing at the Amer 9 unit from 35% to 50%. At a gradually larger scale, this means that Essent is replacing hard coal by biomass for sustainable energy production.
On schedule
Essent is also expecting to obtain another important permit very soon; the final permit for the Nature Conservation Act. This means that the conversion of the Amer Power Plant from, originally, a coal-fired power plant to a largely sustainable power plant is on schedule. Peter Terium, Essent CEO: “Our ultimate goal is that we fully convert from hard coal to biomass, but the step to 50% is unprecedented in the Netherlands and Europe. With the Amer Power Plant we are now already by far the largest production site for sustainable energy in the Netherlands. Through the steps that we now wish to take, Essent is clearly demonstrating its intentions in terms of achieving the climate objectives.”
Choice for the near future
Peter Terium believes that opting to use biomass is a smart and prudent choice for a sustainable future: “The use of sustainable biomass for the production of green energy allows us to head both quickly and cost-effectively towards a cleaner energy society. As far as I am concerned, biomass in combination with wind (onshore and offshore) and energy savings is a winning combination for both the short and medium term.”
The Government's move
Whether or not Essent will decide to invest in significantly increasing the percentage of biomass co-firing will depend (in addition to the permits) on the government's willingness to offer support. In the coming years, the current grant (Environmental Quality Electricity Production grant (“MEP”)) for large-scale co-firing of biomass will end. For that reason, there has to be a replacement scheme. As far as Essent2 is concerned, that could be a virtually grant-free scheme; the so-called suppliers' obligation.
In such a system, all power suppliers are obliged to supply their customers with a certain percentage of sustainable energy. The suppliers then look on the market to find out where they can purchase and/or produce that green energy under the most economical conditions. This would allow the market to determine the most (cost) effective methods of sustainable power generation. Currently, biomass, onshore wind and offshore wind (in this order) are the most (cost) effective solutions in the Netherlands. “In the Netherlands, we cannot afford to lose large-scale co-firing of biomass as a source of sustainable energy production. That is because a third of all green energy produced in the Netherlands comes from biomass”, said Peter Terium.
1The Environmental Permit is new and consists of a combination of various permits, such as building permits and environmental permits.
2The Energy Council, the ECN and various other energy companies have declared themselves in favour of the suppliers' obligation.
Published: 13 April 2011