Fuel
- What will the plant burn?
- What kind of straw is used?
- Where does the straw come from?
- Is there enough straw for the plant?
- Will crops be grown specifcally for Sleaford REP?
What will the plant burn?
The plant is designed to burn primarily straw.
The plant has an auxiliary fuel line that is designed to take wood chip. Only clean, uncontaminated wood would be acceptable - any contaminated material would be classed as waste and the plant would not be allowed to burn it.
What kind of straw is used?
The plant is designed for the combustion of wheat straw, delivered to the plant in large Hesston bales. Other baled material, such as straw from other crops or miscanthus, could be burned but these would represent a minor part of the overall fuel mix.
Where does the straw come from?
As a rule of thumb, we aim to source straw from wheat producers within a 50 mile radius of the site. In fact, the furthest straw supplier is based 41 miles from the site and the vast majority of fuel will travel less than 30 miles.
Is there enough straw for the plant?
Government estimates suggest that there are 3 million tonnes of surplus straw (that is straw produced in existing wheat production that has no other market) in the east of the country. This means that there would be more than enough in Lincolnshire to meet the 240,000 tonne demand of the Sleaford REP.
Will crops be planted specifically for Sleaford REP?
No. It is intended that fuel supplies will be met by existing production of wheat.
