E.ON is going to convert its “Provence 4” power plant in Bouches-du-Rhône from coal into a biomass operating unit. The project was approved by the CODERST (Conseil Départemental de l’Environnement et des Risques Sanitaires et Technologiques) on 22 November. The new unit will provide the equivalent of the electricity consumption of 440.000 households (excluding heating) and will avoid the release of 600.000 tonnes of CO2 per year in the PACA region (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur).
The 150 MW plant will require about 850.000 tonnes of biomass per year and will use the widest range of resources available. Wood chips, green waste, vineyards and forestry residues are some examples of material that will be used to feed the plant. At the beginning, two-thirds of the supply will come from the regional timber industry, the remaining third will consist of imported biomass. However the project could gradually structure a regional biomass supply-chain, without conflicts of use, thanks to the planned reduction of imported biomass. The main objective of the project is to achieve 100% local supply in 2025 by building-up a regional biomass supply-chain, according to the criteria of sustainable development and increasing also employment, by progressively promoting long-term contracts with local suppliers. Conversion works are expected to start by the first trimester of 2013.
