Steven's Croft is a wood-fired (biomass) power station located near Lockerbie in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It is operated by E.ON and began energy production in 2008. It is one of the largest dedicated biomass power stations in the United Kingdom.
Location and Site
The power station is situated approximately 2.5 miles (4 km) north-northwest of Lockerbie, on a site that was already occupied by sawmills and timber-processing facilities. The location benefits from proximity to the West Coast Mainline Railway, facilitating fuel transport.
Technical Specifications
Steven's Croft has an electrical generating capacity of 44 megawatts (MW). It produces 126 MW of thermal energy and consumes approximately 480,000 tonnes of fuel per year. The fuel mix consists of 60% waste from timber production, 20% coppiced wood, and 20% recycled fibre. The boiler is optimised to operate at a temperature of 537 °C and a pressure of 13.7 megapascals (137 bar). Aqueous wastes from the plant are treated using a wetland filtering system.
Environmental Claims
The operator states that the station saves approximately 140,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year compared to fossil fuel alternatives, by using biomass as a carbon-neutral fuel source.
History
The station was commissioned in 2008 and has been operated by E.ON (formerly Powergen) since its inception. It was originally developed as a combined heat and power (CHP) or cogeneration plant.
