MITIE joint venture powers waste wood gasification plant

Outsourcing firm MITIE is entering the energy market through a joint venture to build a 40,000-tonne waste wood gasification plant in Plymouth.

MITIE's asset management business has teamed up with O-Gen UK and Una Group to form a new energy services company, O-Gen Plymtrek, which is exploring opportunities to supply energy from the plant to a local business.

The plant will generate around 26,000MWh of electricity a year and is set to reduce carbon emissions by around 16,500 tonnes a year compared to grid supply. The plant will create 23 local jobs once it is operational next summer and 50 for contractors in the construction phase.

MITIE will operate and maintain the plant, which uses technology provided by O-Gen UK, during a 10-year contract. As an advanced thermal conversion technology, it is eligible for renewables obligation certificates (ROCs).

O-Gen UK's managing director, David Pike, said: "We are delighted to work with MITIE in the development and expansion of our timber resource recovery business. This plant represents the first of a series of combined heat and power plants currently under discussion with MITIE across the south west region."

Maxine Perella