Blackburn Meadows is now in the final stages of construction and is due to be fully commissioned later this year.
The plant will be the third biomass plant in E.ON UK’s generation portfolio and will convert locally sourced recycled waste wood into electricity helping to reduce the impact energy generation has on the environment.
Work commenced on Blackburn Meadows in 2011 and since then, around 3,400 people have been involved in the construction process, including a number of local contractors. This has helped ensure around £15 million of investment has stayed locally and the plant will continue to support the local economy by creating more than 30 full time jobs.
When the plant is fully operational, a community benefits fund worth up to £25,000 a year will be put in place, supporting local projects throughout the lifetime of the plant.
An onsite visitor centre will be officially opened later this autumn, which will demonstrate how energy is produced and highlight the industrial heritage of the site.
Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP said: "As a local Sheffield MP I’m particularly proud that our city can look forward to being powered by 30MW of low-carbon, green energy thanks to this development. This is particularly important in the context of hitting our targets to reduce emissions and make our energy production more secure.
"Around 80,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide will be displaced every year, the equivalent of taking more than 20,000 cars off the UK’s roads. E.ON’s Blackburn Meadows biomass facility is a significant step to make Sheffield a greener and more sustainable city."
Tony Cocker, E.ON UK’s Chief Executive, said: "We’re delighted to welcome the Deputy Prime Minister to our new biomass facility in Sheffield. It’s a great opportunity to highlight all the hard work that has gone in to the project, as well as the investment being made in the local community and the UK’s energy infrastructure.
"As a business we’ve invested over £1.8bn in renewables since 2009 and Blackburn Meadows, along with other ongoing projects in E.ON’s portfolio, demonstrates our continued commitment to investing in low carbon generation in the UK."
Luke Ellis, E.ON’s Blackburn Meadows Project Manager, said: "Blackburn Meadows generated electricity and synchronised with the local distribution network for the first time in June, and we’re very proud to have now reached the final stage of the project. We’ll soon be handing over to the team who will manage the day to day running of the plant.
"Once fully operational, Blackburn Meadows will play an important role in ensuring the future security of supply for the UK, by producing enough energy to power 40,000 homes."
Blackburn Meadows will also supply hot water to a new £20 million low-carbon district heating network in the Lower Don Valley, which is due for completion in early 2015. The district heating network will capture an additional 25MW of heat energy which would otherwise be lost in traditional energy generation. The project will supply low carbon heat through a pipe network to a number of local businesses.
