A group from the Harmston Young Farmers Club in Lincolnshire visited the Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant to find out more about how the plant is fuelled by straw (and woodchip) and how the Eco2 team at the plant works with farmers to ensure regular straw supplies.

The 38MW power station burns straw within a boiler that converts waste to superheat steam, which is used to drive a turbine coupled to a generator which produces electricity.  The plant meets the electricity demand of around 65,000 homes.

Straw from Lincolnshire and further afield is bought by Sleaford REP and either stored on farms or at storage sites in readiness to be transported to the plant for combustion.   The plant consumes approximately 55 bales per hour, about 240,000 tonnes per year.