Industry park for renewable energy
INDUSTRY: A £36m ‘sustainable industries’ park could put a South Yorkshire city in the vanguard of renewable energy for business.
AMG Investments wants to devote a big brownfield plot off Claywheels Lane at Wadsley Bridge to firms specialising in recycling, recovering and reusing other people’s waste.
It’s easy to generate heat and power but difficult to harness it. Mark Leivers, agent for Sheffield Company AMG
A £36M ‘sustainable industries’ park could put a South Yorkshire city in the vanguard of renewable energy for business.
Sheffield company AMG Investments wants to devote a big brownfield plot off Claywheels Lane at Wadsley Bridge to firms specialising in recycling, recovering and re-using other people’s waste.
At least six companies are set to operate from the site, including a food digestion plant and a waste wood power station.
The power they create is set to be used by a new forge nearby which would be the first forge in the country powered by renewable energy.
The hope is that they would provide 95 per cent of the power for the new forge and at a cheaper rate.
This ‘closed loop’ of power generation and consumption is believed to be unique in South Yorkshire – and possibly the country – and could create a blueprint for the sustainable industries.
That’s according to Mark Leivers, agent for AMG, who describes himself as a ‘matchmaker’ bringing companies together.
Abbey Forged Products bought eight acres two years ago. It has submitted plans for a new forge and press building set to create 35 jobs.
RAW Energy has committed to building a £10m ‘anaerobic digestion’ plant – which makes power from rotting waste food.
A third company, Earthworm, is close to agreeing to a £10m biomass power station burning waste wood.
Mr Leivers said: “It’s easy to generate heat and power but it’s really difficult to harness it. Here, we’ve got the opportunity to create a ‘closed loop’ to assist a local business from a sustainable development.
“It’s really neat and a first for Sheffield. Abbey Forged will probably take all that we can produce 95 per cent of the time.
“It’s sustainably sourced and cheaper.”
AMG has also set aside about 10 acres for firms in the sustainable sector. Two recycling firms already operate on the site.
Waste Recycling and Destruction specialises in food and packaging recycling.
Ballast Phoenix takes ash from the Veolia incinerator at Bernard Road.
It removes the metals, which are sent to metals companies while the ash is used as an aggregate in cement used in construction and road surfacing.
The site was used by a firm which used bitumen and graphite to make electrodes for arc furnaces.
It moved out 20 years ago, although four tall chimneys and some buildings remain.
But there is no gas or electricity and the three firms on the site all use generators.
Now, Sheffield City Council is applying for £1.5m from the Sheffield City Region Infrastructure Fund to install services, improve access and clean up the site.
The chimneys are also set to come down.