The Helius CoRDE biomass plant inSpreyside, provides for costs savings by

more efficient energy use while supplyingsteam for production, injecting electricityto the national grid, and saving 64,000tonnes of CO2/year.

Successful reliability and performance tri-als have taken place at the Helius CoRDeplant in Rothes, a joint venture betweenrenewables specialist Helius Energy, theCombination of Rothes Distillers (Cord)and Rabo Project Equity, a division ofNetherlands-based Rabobank that specialisesin backing renewable projects.

Operations have officially started at theplant that produces 8.4 MWe, enough elec-tricity to power 9000 homes, 73.2 tons perhour of pot ale through the evaporatorplant and liquid animal feed from the by-products of whisky distilling.

The plant conditions and burn solidresidues from the malt whisky distillingprocess, known as draff, together with cleanwood. Annual fuel input will be approxi-mately 115,000 tons of wet draff from localdistilleries and 60,000 tons of uncontami-

nated wood chips. Power will beexported to the grid and heat will beutilised for draff fuel drying as well asthe whisky process.

The plant will generate revenuesfrom index-linked gate fees receivedfor processing distillery residues, elec-tricity sales and sales relating to theplant's Renewables Oblig-ationCertificate (ROC). Income will alsoflow from the sale of pot or Spey alesyrup to the animal feed market,largely throughout the UK.

The plant, which employs 22 staffin a town of 1500 people, has beensupplying the grid over the course ofits commissioning phase in recentmonths.

CHP ProjectAalborg Energie Technik (AET) wasappointed by Helius Energy for thecomplete turnkey design, supply,erection and commissioning of thebiomass CHP project. This incorpo-rated all elements of the plant from

fuel reception, handlingand storage systemsthrough to flue gas treat-ment system only with theexception of civil worksbelow ground level.

At the heart of the plantare the AET CombustionSystem and AET boiler.The unique AET fuel dos-ing and combustion tech-nology provides the optimalcombustion conditions andresults in low emissions,high boiler efficiencies,high plant availability andlow maintenance costs.

Helius, whose mainshareholders include landowner Alastair Salvesen,who holds a 25.79% stake,Angus MacDonald andfamily (17.7%) andStagecoach co-founder AnnGloag (9.78%), says itwould save about 46,000tons of carbon dioxide ayear, compared with a coal-fired facility of similar size.

It also expects to reduce a further 18,000tons of CO2 a year by closing the existinggas-fired Cord facility at the same site.

Second Biomass PlantThe Helius CoRDe plant is the secondbiomass plant built by AET in the UK.The first was a 15 MWe power onlyplant at Western Wood in Port Talbotin Wales. This has been operating verysuccessfully since 2008 utilising cleanwood and recycled wood, showing veryhigh performance and availability fig-ures.

According to Frank Lund, sales man-ager at AET, it is obvious that compa-nies in the food and drink industry willincreasingly look into the option ofusing co-generation in order to improvecompetitiveness:• Obtain a higher energy efficiency• Turn traditional waste streams into

revenue• Reduce carbon footprint• Support the companies sustainability

policiesFor further details contact Frank

Lund, AET Sales Manager on + 45 96 3286 00. ❏

Successful Start of New Biomass FiredCo-generation Plant

14 FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013