E.On’s coal-fired Ironbridge Power Station will close by 2016 because it breaches European air quality rules. This should be a perfect opportunity for the UK to move away from large, dirty, inefficient and climate-wrecking power stations and towards genuinely climate-friendly and sustainable renewables, coupled with investment in energy efficiency to reduce energy use.
Instead, E.On as well as other big energy companies are looking for ways to keep their power stations open and to profit in the process: by burning biomass.
The company has not had to go through the regular planning process, by submitting an EIA. They have simply applied for permission to store wood on site so that they can burn biomass. Is it right that coal-fired power stations can simply switch to burning biomass without scrutiny? We certainly don’t think so: read our objection here
