Energy sector experts from Bristol-headquartered law firm Burges Salmon have advised the developers of a major new biomass Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant in the North East with the capacity to supply 50,000 homes.
The 30MW plant at Cramlington, Northumberland, will supply heat and electricity to the Aesica Pharmaceuticals plant on the site, reducing its carbon footprint and energy costs and improving security of supply. It will also supply a neighbouring industrial site occupied by Merck Sharpe & Dohme and export surplus electrical energy to around 50,000 homes in the local distribution network. 
The plant will burn locally-produced fuel – some 500,000 acres of forestry are within 60 miles.
The Burges Salmon team, led by energy sector partner Nick Churchward, pictured, advised London-based developer Estover Energy and, more recently, project development vehicle Cramlington Renewable Energy Developments Limited (CREDL) on energy regulatory, private electricity and heat supply arrangements, grid, planning, environment and real estate matters.
Nick Churchward said: “We are delighted to have advised Estover Energy and development vehicle CREDL on yet another exciting renewable CHP scheme. It has been a great achievement for all involved in the face of a changing and challenging regulatory environment for the energy sector.
“This project demonstrates the real benefits to the UK economy that forward-thinking energy users and developers can achieve by intelligently co-locating renewable generation infrastructure and commercial scale energy users.”
Last year Burges Salmon advised Estover Energy and project vehicle Speyside Renewable Energy Partnership Ltd (SREPL) a biomass CHP plant in Scotland. The project is in construction and will supply heat to the neighbouring Macallan distillery and also export renewable electricity to the local distribution network.
Along with Nick Churchward, the Burges Salmon team also included partner Euan Bremner, senior associates Emma Andrews and Michael Bray, and solicitors Alec Whiter, Samuel Swann and Stephen Humphreys.
