gy
Warm friends in cold places –
native Ener green heat from the experts
Forever Fuels Ltd and Skellefteå Kraft AB announced in early
February 2009, that they have agreed to work together to bring
Skellefteå’s top-quality wood pellets to the British market.
he market for green heating in (Nottinghamshire County Council and
Renewable/Aler
T
the UK is still in its infancy. But South Yorkshire Police). These trials
the need for alternatives to fossil proved highly successful. The pellets
fuels has been highlighted by the provided high calorific values and
volatility of their prices, and durability, improved flow characteristics,
Russia’s attempts to hold her neighbours and low fines and ash content. Hard on
to ransom through control of the gas the heels of this successful trial, the first
supplies. bulk delivery of 3000 tonnes arrived in the
Biomass is one of the few practical UK in January, to be made available to
alternatives to fossil fuels for our heating Forever Fuels’ customers around Britain.
supplies. A number of factors have Elisabeth Bjuhr, Head of Department
inhibited its widespread adoption in the for Heat/Marketing at Skellefteå Kraft said
UK. One significant factor is customers’ “We believe that the UK market has a lot
uncertainty about the ongoing availability of potential. We are pleased to join with
of biomass fuel of sufficient quality and the UK’s leading supplier of pellets to
consistency. Backed by Summerleaze, one develop that market. The UK has a lot of
of the UK’s longest-established renewable people and rapidly depleting energy
energy groups, Forever Fuels’ mission is resources. Sweden has not so many
to provide a reliable, nationwide supply of people and a very large, sustainable
quality wood pellets, allowing customers biomass resource. It makes sense to work and green hydrogen.
to invest in biomass boilers with together.” Wood pellets provide a compact means
confidence. Forever Fuels has quickly “We are delighted to be partnering a of moving biomass fuels (energy-density
established a leading position as a supplier company with such a track-record and 50% greater than chips). Because of this
of wood pellets. range of expertise as Skellefteå Kraft”, and the energy-efficiency of sea transport,
For customers to have confidence, they said Bruno Prior, Managing Director of only around 3% of the energy-value of the
must be sure, for the lifetime of their Forever Fuels. “As soon as we tried these pellets is consumed in transport from
boiler, not only that suppliers like Forever pellets, we knew they were good. If you factory in Sweden to customer. Most
Fuels will continue to service the market, can keep a city in the north of Sweden pellets produced in the UK have a similar
but also that these suppliers can obtain warm and lit, helping us to stay warm in energy- and carbon-footprint of
enough pellets of a suitable quality to Britain should be a piece of cake.” distribution. Most small British plants use
satisfy demand. Faced with limited UK Forever Fuels Ltd was formed as a fossil fuels to power the process, whereas
production, and in the wake of the recent joint-venture between Summerleaze Ltd larger, remoter plants (such as Skellefteå’s)
closure of three British pellet plants and and the Energy Crops Company Ltd in use biomass CHP for a very low-carbon
questions over the quality of the pellets early 2008, to take forward the Energy production process.
from some of the other plants, Forever Crops Company’s pioneering efforts in the Around 60% of Sweden’s land area of
Fuels turned to Sweden. wood-pellet market since 2004. Forever 411,000 km² is forested. Around 6.5% of
With vast, sustainable forestry- Fuels supplies bulk or bagged pellets the UK’s land area of 242,000 km² is
resources and the best record in Europe across England and Wales. It is now 100% forested.
for displacing fossil fuels with renewables, owned by Summerleaze. Gas fuels under 40% of our electricity-
Sweden is arguably the home of biomass Summerleaze (a family company generation, but over 80% of our heating. If
energy. And with one pellet factory founded around 1930) has been investing the Russians turn off the taps, we have to
producing almost twice as much fuel as in renewable energy since the early worry about people freezing to death more
the combined output of all UK plants, and 1980s. Its landfill-gas business (sold to than we have to worry about the lights
another entering production that will Infinis Ltd in 2007) grew from going out.
produce almost as much again, Skellefteå commissioning its first power station in
Kraft is one of the largest and longest- 1987 to being one of the larger renewable Forever Fuels Ltd
established producers in Sweden. energy producers in the UK. The company 225 Blackamoor Lane
Initial loads from Skellefteå were has been diversifying since the millennium Maidenhead
trialled during December with some of into immature renewable sectors such as Berkshire
Forever Fuels’ closest customers biomass heating fuels, anaerobic digestion SL6 8RT
UK
Tel: +44 (0)1628 509690
Fax: +44 (0)1628 509698
Web: www.forever-fuels.com
20 energy solutions Building & Facilities Management – March 2009
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