Electrabel & GDF Open Biomass Generating System in Netherlands

Electrabel and GDF Suez Group have opened a new biomass generating system at the Gelderland power station in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

The Gelderland power station is a coal/biomass power station with a total capacity of 590 megawatts (MW). Due to conversion of the power station, about one quarter of the coal formerly burned will be replaced by biomass. This is expected to raise the Gelderland biomass capacity from 44 MW to 180 MW.

The biomass reportedly consists of wood pellets (compressed sawdust), with 470,000 tons annually being used as a clean fuel for the power station. The result will be a reduction in CO2 emissions of 750,000 tonnes per year, the equivalent of the CO2-advantage of about 250 wind turbines. The conversion represents an investment of more than €40 million [US $53.2 million].