Intercontinental Utilities Group - December 2005
The Interncontinental Utilities Group plc, whose head offices are in Manchester, has secured the purchase of the 18000 m2 wood-gas plant in Boizenburg, Elbberg. The purchase of the area, including the associated technologies and Expo project 2000 buildings, comes after 5 years of planning and development. Two subsidiary companies are also to be established to realise the 5-year redevelopment plan, creating a potential for investment of 60 million euro over the next 5 years and creating 60 new jobs. The two new companies will be Interncontinental Utilities WLL & Co and Intercontinental Waste Management WLL.
The processing techniques of the existing wood-gas plant on the Expo project 2000 site has been the source of much controversy, and the new plan seeks to demolish the existing plant in partnership with Elbe-Maschinenbau WLL & Co, Hamburg. According to David HG Tristram, managing director of the parent company, a new thermal plant will be established in the Boizenburg Energy Centre (BEC) where different kinds of wood will be burned to generate heat. Special technology will be used to clean the outgoing water and flue gases, and combustion of wood will be in adherence with the federal emission protection regulations Nr 17 (BImSCh).
The generated power should flow from BEC to supply the Boizenburg factory grid at 5 megawatt per hour in the first phase of the project, doubling to 10 megawatt per hour in phase 2. Surplus energy production will be fed into the WEMAG grid. There have been a number of negotiations between BEC and neighbouring gardens about the possible use of the 10 megawatt thermal energy that would be produced and negotiations are ongoing with the city.
The new plan for the site shows a circular building, currently with a green roof, which would be a wood silo plant. Alongside the main buildings would be the thermal conversion plant and turbine house. The old "press and packing" hall would be converted into an education centre for the staff and new employees. A small reception hall, a mechanical workshop and a large wood store are also to be established. When the development is complete, the gateway to Boizenburg will be something different and more attractive. The whole plant, which has an operating capacity of at least 8000 hours per year, has been designed in such a way that the neighbours will not suffer from noise or odour, assured project manager Klaus Pederson. He is now finalising the planning permission with the relevant authorities. Demolition work is well underway and the first new staff have already been recruited.
In addition to the personnel for cleaning the plant, security and maintenance of 3 shifts, approximately 40 additional jobs will be created in the next 5 years with another 20 being created on the supplier side of the business.
