Scotland's business and energy minister Fergus Ewing officially opened the facility in Glenrothes, Fife. It was built and will be run by renewables’ operator RWE Innogy.
“This is the largest CHP biomass plant of its kind in the UK and will help us deliver our target of 11% of non-electrical heat demand by renewable sources by 2020,” said Ewing.
According to Tullis Russell, the plant will slash carbon dioxide emissions by around 250,000 tonnes per annum and help the UK hit renewable energy generation targets. Building work started six years ago.
The site is equivalent in size of four football pitches while the largest component is a 213-tonne steam turbine. A new road network includes an 18m-long bridge over River Leven.
The new facility is providing all of Tullis Russell’s electricity and steam requirements, with excess electricity generation being fed into local networks.
Fuel is burned in a high-efficiency boiler to power a steam turbine and generate electricity. More energy is used productively than is wasted. The system includes three 5,750m3 silos.
Biomass CHP can deliver savings in fuel consumption, fuel cost and emissions, and avoids transmission losses otherwise incurred by importing electricity.
Typically the process achieves a 10% reduction in energy use against separate production of heat and power. It also ensures a secure supply from an independent source of power.
Chief executive Chris Parr said: “The importance of this project cannot be overstated. The plant delivers a modern, economical and sustainable source of renewable power for Tullis Russell.
“It reduces our carbon emissions by 72% and helps to safeguard the future of the 500 jobs at our Markinch base,” he said of the project, financed in part with an £8.1m regional selective assistance grant from the Scottish government.
Forestry Commission Scotland helped underpin the investment with a long-term contract for timber supply to the plant, providing 750,000 tonnes over the next 10 years.
RWE Innogy chief operating officer Paul Coffey said: “The Markinch plant is providing Tullis Russell with a state-of-the art low-carbon power source.
“It is exporting enough energy into the local network to power around 45,000 homes. The multimillion-pound investment involved more than 2.6m hours of construction.
“The partnership approach and collaboration between Tullis Russell, the Scottish government, Fife Council and RWE has also been fundamental to success.”
