The UK's leading independent food ingredients manufacturer, Macphie of Glenbervie, has announced that it will be installing a multi-million pound biomass plant at its Glenbervie site, which will be operational by mid-2008. The 1.75 MW boiler will use 5,000 tonnes of locally sourced wood fuel per year to produce the base line steam demand for its Glenbervie factory. The company received a significant grant from the Scottish Executive’s £10.5 million Scottish Biomass Support Scheme and it will be the first large industrial biomass process steam plant in Scotland.

The European Commission’s target is for 12% of energy consumption to be from renewable sources by 2010. Energy generation from biomass is expected to generate up to 74% of this target. The Macphie biomass plant will play a major part in delivering these targets.

Energy Minister, Jim Mather, said: “Scotland has a huge biomass resource which has the potential to meet local and small-scale energy needs. The Biomass Support Scheme has enabled Macphie to turn this potential into a reality. Not only will it meet its own energy needs, but biomass can help to combat climate change. We will continue to support renewable technologies like biomass to ensure a clean, green environment and capitalise on this emerging industry for a vibrant Scottish economy.”

Macphie has “green” values at its core. This is reflected in the unique location of the firm’s head-quarters in Glenbervie, on the 700 year old, 2,000 acre family-owned estate. As a farmer, land-owner and industrialist, Macphie chief executive, Alastair Macphie, is proud of his family’s farming history and passionate about the environment and the need to act responsibly. The company employs an environmental manager and has an environmental policy with a range of environmental targets including energy and water usage, packaging reduction and reducing waste to landfill.

Macphie chief executive, Alastair Macphie, says: “Our business exists not only to manufacture high quality food ingredients, but also to sustain the 700 year old, 2,000 acre, family-owned estate and surrounding community. The business currently uses 600-800kVA of electricity, and our expansion plans would expect this to grow to 1500-2000kVA by 2011. The biomass plant is the first phase of our renewable energy plans and it will cut our carbon emissions by approximately 2,000 tonnes annually. We are reviewing other forms of renewable energy and it makes economic and environmental sense for our long-term sustainability. We have a long-standing commitment to the local community and protecting the environment.”