Caunton Engineering are supplying the steelwork frame for a new renewable energy plant in Sleaford. This will be only the second power station in the UK to be fuelled by burning straw.

Caunton are contracted to North Midland Construction who will be undertaking the construction of the civils and building works for main contractor Burmeister Wain Scandinavian Contractor A/S.

The plant will comprise a pair of 3,000 sq. m straw barns, a wood chip import facility, combined turbine and boiler halls plus administration buildings. The steelwork requires over 1300te of fabrication and erection of the steelwork. Interestingly surplus heat will be piped to Sleaford’s public swimming baths and some other community facilities in the town. The plant is due to be operational in 2014.

On a sustainability note, the Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant will use straw, sourced mainly from local farms, to generate 38MW of recovered energy which is enough to provide power and heat for around 65,000 homes.

The plant will save around 250,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year. Ash from the plant will be recycled for use as fertiliser on farmland. The new Renewable Energy Plant is also expected to create 80 permanent jobs and will provide local straw contracts of up to £10m per year.

Caunton are delighted to be helping with such a beneficial project.

This project is contributing to the UK Government’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2050 by means of zero carbon energy production.