Experts give plan a warm welcome

Eastern Daily Press, 12 February 2004

The idea of a power plant producing renewable electricity from chicken by-products was welcomed by energy groups in the region yesterday.

It would join the list of renewable-energy schemes already being pioneered here, such as offshore windfarms and the growing of biofuel crops.

Bruce Tofield, of the CRed carbon reduction project at the University of East Anglia, hailed it as an exciting "low-carbon innovation", with a world-leading concept that could have a very wide application.

"When up and running the new power plant would save at least 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year and potentially considerably more."

"Many jobs are preserved and new ones created, a waste problem is solved, transport movements and landfill are reduced, and a new source of renewable energy is created."

John Best, chief executive of the East of England Energy Group, which supports and promotes the region's energy industry, said: "Other companies would benefit from the knowledge that they have. It makes our offer as a region stronger."

"It's also about sustainability, better operating and the best environmental practices."

Mr Best thought it would be an "unnecessary delay" if the scheme did not get planning permission and referred to the East of England Development Agency's regional economic strategy, which talks about making best use of the regional "energy assets".

"At the same time as people are talking about jobs going abroad, you would have a business that's trying to work to the best environmental standards being held up," he said.