As part of Sleaford REP's outreach work, members of the Project Management Team recently visited Kirkby La Thorpe School. They held a workshop with pupils being tasked to make straw creatures and shapes, and then decorate them. It put pupil's creative skills to the test with some interesting creatures emerging. The feedback from the pupils and teachers alike was extremely positive.
Pictured below are pupils making straw creatures with Eco2's Site Construction Manager Rhys Clark, assisting in the background:
As part of the annual North Kesteven District Council's Planning Tour, 30 local councilors visited Sleaford REP on the 17th July 2013 to see at first hand how the Plant was taking shape. The Tour is designed to show local councilors the impact of their planning decisions. During their visit they we given a presentation about the workings of the Plant, had a tour of the Site and able to pose questions which they and local people wished to ask the Project Management Team.
Sleaford & North Hykeham MP Stephen Phillips recently visited the new Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant as it nears its completion of its construction phase. During his visit Stephen was given a presentation about how the Plant will operate from the straw coming on site to the generation of electricity and heat.
He was then given a tour of the site, being joined by local Councillors from the Community Liaison Panel, and met with constituents who have recently become employed at the Plant as it prepares to become operational.
Stephen Phillips MP said of his visit:
"The straw-fired generation capacity which this major investment will provide is something of which I have been hugely supportive. The technology is largely carbon neutral and will ensure security of supply for nearly every home in the constituency, as well as providing local jobs and welcome extra income for our farmers."
Peter Dickson, Partner of Glennmont Partners and Chairman of Eco2 Lins who owns the Plant, said of Mr Phillips' visit:
The Plant represents a significant investment for us in the UK renewables sector. I am pleased to announce that the Plant is ahead of schedule and is expected to become fully operational early next year.’
Pictured Top (left to right): Darren Williams (Commercial Director, Eco2), David McDonald (Operations Director, Eco2), Peter Dickson (Partner/Technical Director, Glennmont Partners who finance the Plant), Cllr Richard Wright (Chair, Sleaford REP Community Liaison Panel), Stephen Phillips MP, Cllr David Dickinson (Member of the Sleaford REP Community Liaison Panel), and Cllr Rob Hippworth (Vice-Chair, Sleaford REP Community Liaison Panel).
An initial recruitment drive began with advertisements in local press: http://jobs.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/cgi-bin/vacdetails.pl?selection=945897037&src=search&tmpl=sem
It is being extended until Friday 26th April 2013. Further recruitment opportunities will arise over the coming months. Please send CV is application to [email protected] or to [email protected]
The Sleaford REP Community Liaison Panel recently visited Kirkby-la-Thorpe Primary School to view the School’s five new interactive whiteboards in action. The equipment was acquired following a £10,000 funding award as part of the £285,000 committed to the local community by the Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant.
The new equipment has replaced older whiteboards and allows teachers and pupils to interact during lesson time like never before. The boards have internet access, are used to enhance pupil learning, and allows teachers to access a wider variety educational tools and services with ease.
Chair of the Panel Cllr Richard Wright said:
‘This funding has provided an invaluable asset to the School and aims to enhance pupils’ education attainment and experiences. They are brilliant additions to the classroom and we were extremely impressed to learn how the pupils had embraced them - they were clearly delighted with their new equipment.
This is exactly the type of investment we envisaged when the Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant agreed to the funding and we hope more of the Community will benefit from the funding over the next few years.’
Headteacher Katie Bartle added:
"We were delighted to receive the funding award from the Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant and were keen to utilise it in a way that would benefit all of our pupils. Our new whiteboards are touch screen ensuring that our lessons are extremely interactive and engaging. The picture quality of the screens is superb and they have been an excellent addition to all of our classrooms, enjoyed by pupils and staff alike."
"As a school that has achieved the Gold Primary Science Mark award, it is highly valuable to provide children with opportunities to apply their classroom science to real-life contexts and to help them to understand how what they learn in school is utilised within industry. Therefore we are looking forward to working closely with the Renewable Energy Plant nearby to develop our pupils' scientific knowledge in the future."
Community groups are being urged by the Panel to come forward and apply for the annual £40,000 funding (for the next three years) which is being provided by the Plant and administered by the Panel. Funding applications can range from £500 - £20,000 for groups and organisations in either Sleaford Town Parish or Kirkby-La-Thorpe Parish. For more information about Sleaford REP Community Liaison Panel and to apply for funding please visit the dedicated Panel page on the Sleaford REP website – www.sleafordrep.co.uk
The School children pictured are (left to right): Isabel Andy, Jake Walzak, Emily Wilson, James Andy, Charlie Koscinski-Drayton and Oscar Scholefield.
Pictured with the School children are (left to right): Headteacher Katie Bartle, Vice-Chair of the Panel - Cllr Rob Hipworth, Cllr David Dickinson, Chair of the Panel - Cllr Richard Wright, and Sleaford REP Communications Manager – Mike Harrison.
As part of the Well-being agreement between Sleaford REP and North Kesteven District Council, there are set to be seven apprenticeships funded by the Plant.
The first two apprenticeships have begun and are being funded jointly by Sleaford REP and construction company R G Carter who are working on the refurbishment of Sleaford Swimming Pool. Below are there stories.
Apprentice Case Study: Gregg Southall
Construction Contract Manager Apprentice
Twenty-year-old Gregg Southall from Lincoln had always dreamed of getting on the right career path, and when an apprenticeship opportunity arose he jumped at the chance.
Gregg will train for his role on site and complete theory-based work at Lincoln College. He will learn about programming projects and procurement, as well as the day-to-day role of the contract manager. His first project is the Sleaford Leisure Centre refurbishment which is due for completion in September 2013.
Gregg said:
“My first day went really quickly, it was really busy but everyone was really friendly so that helped the nerves. I am a bit nervous about taking on the responsibility, because I don’t want to let the team down, but I am sure this will ease in time. ”
After the apprenticeship, Gregg will gain not only valid work experience, but a BTEC National Certificate in Construction.
Apprentice Case Study: Martyn Hardy
Construction Site Manager Apprentice
Twenty-five-year-old Martyn Hardy has worked on construction sites as a bricklayer since leaving school. With a family of tradesman, he has always aspired to follow in their footsteps, and as luck be it, on a rainy day he saw the advert for the apprentice position in the paper.
Although Martyn enjoyed bricklaying, he wanted the chance to progress his career further and gain experience in other roles within the construction industry.
Father-of-one, Martyn sees this as an opportunity for a long term career, giving stability to his family life.
He will study a BTEC National Certificate in Construction atLincolnCollegepart-time on day-release for two years, whilst also gaining valuable on-site training.
Martyn would like to be running sites on his own in five years time, and work on larger projects with the site manager – Sleaford Leisure Centre is one project where Martyn will gain experience during his apprenticeship.
A further five apprenticeships are to be funded by Sleaford REP once the Plant is fully operational.
Construction works for Phase 1 of Sleaford town’s district heating system are scheduled to begin this month. Works will commence on Boston Road opposite the site of the new Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant which will provide the thermal heat energy for the system. Construction works will consist of installing district heating pipework within Boston Road down towards Sleaford. Whilst these activities are in process a temporary traffic light system will be operation.
Mike Harrison, Communications Manager for Sleaford REP, said:
‘We will undertake all of the necessary action to minimise disruption as much as possible for people who live in the vicinity of Boston road as well as other road users. I hope people will bear with us whilst we construct the pipe work and apologies for any convenience caused.
The district heating system is just one of a number of local community benefits that forms part of a wellbeing agreement with NKDC. Other initiatives totally £285,000 includes a community fund & sustainability fund which will be administered by community representatives which form the newly established Sleaford REP Community Liaison Panel. Our website will continue to be updated with more information about the progress of the Plant and pipe work's construction.’
Once complete the district heating network will provide free thermal energy to a number of Sleaford town community facilities consisting of Sleaford town football cub, Sleaford indoor bowls centre & Sleaford Leisure Centre. Negotiations for a second phase are on-going and would see heat provided to NKDC Council Offices and William Alvey Primary School. Works to Boston Road are scheduled to be complete by June 2013 with a fully operational system expected by January 2014 once works to the power plant are completed users.
ENDS
A new Community Liaison Panel is out of the starting blocks after awarding its first funding grant to this year’s Sleaford Half-Marathon. The Panel is a partnership between the owners of the Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant, Eco2 Lincs, and North Kesteven District Council, Sleaford Town Council, and Kirkby-le-Thorpe Parish Council. Its role is to oversee the delivery and distribution of £285,000 of Community Funding that is being provided by the Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant. The Panel has various funding streams that are intended to enhance the economy and environment of Sleaford and the surrounding area.
Panel Chair, Cllr Richard Wright said:
'The Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant is not only bringing green investment to the local area but is also providing significant financial benefit to local amenities and communities. The Liaison Panel has been established to deliver and distribute the £285,000 worth of community funding that has been committed to by the Eco2 Lincs. I am delighted that the Panel has chosen to start with sponsoring Sleaford Striders’ Sleaford Half-Marathon which not only attracts competitors and visitors from the region but from across the country as well.
On behalf of the Panel I invite groups and organisations from Sleaford and Kirkby-la-Thorpe to come forward to apply for grants from the Community Fund which can range from £500 to £20,000 to help their work in our communities.’
The Half-Marathon is the first to receive a £2,000 award from the Panel’s new Community Fund.The Community Fund is an allocation of £120,000 that the Panel aims to distribute over a three year period. The Panel aims to distribute £40,000 per year and will be split equally with an annual allocation of £20,000 towards projects in Sleaford Town and £20,000 towards projects in Kirby le Thorpe Parish.
Application forms and guidelines are available by visiting the Panel page on the Sleaford REP’s website.
Pictured at begging of the Sleaford Half-Marathon left to right are:
Matt Lennard (Half-Marathon Co-ordinator & Sleaford Strider), Lisa Ashcroft (Sleaford Strider), Cllr Richard Wright (Chair of Liaison Panel & North Kesteven District Councillor), Kathy Radley (Sleaford Strider), Cllr David Dickinson (Member of the Liaison Panel & North Kesteven District Councillor), Sasha Oliver (Sleaford Strider), Mike Harrison (Communications Manager, Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant).
ENDS
Construction work began in May 2012 following road improvement measures at the A17 junction at Kirkby-La-Thorpe as well as an access point to the site from Boston Road.
An Engineering Procurement and Construction contract (EPC) has been let to the Danish Consortium of Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor a/s (BWSC) and Burmeister & Wain Energy a/s (BWE). Further contracts have been let for A17 Improvement Works (Ringway Industrial Services Ltd), Grid Connection (WPD), Utility connections and District Heating works.
The Danish Consortium sub-contracted the civil engineering and building construction works to North Midland Construction Ltd (NMC).
During the first two weeks of May work began on the installation of the site's surface water drainage and fire main underground services. Following on from these immediate works, construction of the building substructure commenced with the two straw barns.
By the beginning of June work was well underway on the substructures of all of the main structures and works continue as scheduled.
Current progress on the major structures is as follows:
Straw Barns
~ Substructure and floor slabs complete
~ Structural steelwork to Straw Barn One complete
~ Cladding of Straw Barn One nearing completion
~ Substructure of Straw Barn Two is being used as a preparation area for Boiler pre-assembly
Boiler Construction
~ Boiler foundation complete
~ Steel frame erection to building envelope completed to three sides, south side left open to facilitate boiler assembly
~ Stoker ducts and straw feeders installed
~ Air preheater assembly commenced
~ Pre-assembly of boiler parts commenced with welding of membrane wall sections
Turbine Hall, office building and Air Cooled Condenser
~ Substructure works completed.
~ Steel frame erection completed
~ Roof cladding nearing completion
~ Overhead crane installed but not yet commissioned
~ Internal blockwork walls nearing completion
~ ACC foundations complete
~ ACC support structure delivery commenced.
Woodchip storage building
~ Substructure complete
~ Steel frame erected
~ Roof and wall cladding commenced.
~ Reinforced concrete structure to woodchip storage area commenced
Grid Connection and other Utilities
~ 132kV Switching Station building and civil works complete
~ 132kV compound support structures installed
~ Support tower erection at point of connection underway
~ Cable ducting from point of connection to Switching Station complete.
~ Water connection complete
~ Telecomm connection complete
~ 11kV electrical connection complete
Ancillary Works
~ Site drainage infrastructure installed
~ Flue gas treatment area foundation nearing completion
~ Transformer foundation work underway
During November and December it is forecast that cladding to Straw Barn One, the three sides of the boiler building, the turbine hall and wood chip storage building will all be completed. M&E fit-out will commence in the turbine hall and the wood chip storage building. The stack will be delivered and erected in early November and assembly of the main parts of the boiler will be undertaken culminating in the positioning of the steam drum in late December.
Construction work on the Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant, that will generate electricity from the burning of straw, is to start within the next fortnight. When it enters commercial operation in 2014, the 38MW power station, which is owned by Eco2 Lincs Ltd, will generate electricity for 65,000 homes and employ up to 80 people. During its construction phase, up to 250 people will be working on the site.
As well as generating electricity, the plant will supply surplus heat to Sleaford’s public swimming pool and indoor bowling centre, the town’s football club and, subject to planning consent, provide surplus heat to North Kesteven Council’s office in Sleaford. The provision of surplus heat is one part of a package of measures that will benefit the town as the plant is built and enters operation. Other measures include a local apprenticeship scheme, funding for community projects and a new cycleway and footpath along Boston Road.
Most of the straw, the power station's fuel source, has been secured on long-term contracts with the vast majority coming from farms within 30 miles of Sleaford. Ash produced by the plant will be recycled as crop fertiliser.
Eco2 Lincs has agreed a construction plan with North Kesteven District Council to minimise the impact of the plant work, in particular lorry traffic to and from the site. A designated lorry route has been agreed with the Council that will avoid Sleaford Town Centre: HGV lorries are only permitted to access the power station site from the A17 and Boston Road. In order to facilitate the lorry movements, a new junction on the A17 and road entrance to the site have been built and funded by Eco2 Lincs.
Andrew Toft, Project Director at Eco2, which is managing the construction of the Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant said: “We are very pleased to have reached a stage when we can start the main construction work. We will continue to liaise closely with North Kesteven District Council to ensure that we minimise the impact of our work. We will also be taking further steps to keep the local community informed of our progress and how Sleaford and the surrounding area will benefit from its operation.”
He added: “The Sleaford Renewable Energy plant is a multi-million pound investment in the local economy and job creator. Its benefits extend much further: the project also helps to deliver the UK Government’s ambitions to reduce the country’s carbon emissions and strengthen the UK’s energy security and diversify its energy supply.”