Nexterra signs contract with MWH for U.K. power project

December 12, 2013, Vancouver, B.C. – Nexterra Systems Corp. announced that it has signed a contract with MWH to supply a biomass gasification system for the Birmingham Bio Power Ltd. (BBPL) renewable energy power plant in Tyseley, UK.

This is Nexterra’s first project in the UK after successfully delivering seven commercial plants in Canada and the United States. Export Development Canada (EDC), Canada's export credit agency, has provided support for this first UK Project.

“We are very pleased to be selected by MWH, Carbonarius and the investor consortium for our first project in the UK," said Mike Scott, president and CEO of Nexterra. "We believe that this is an attractive market for our gasification solutions and look forward to establishing our energy-from-renewable-waste systems across the UK. Nexterra was first introduced to these UK market opportunities by BAE Systems in 2011 as part of its commitment to Canadian industry, so it is rewarding to have signed this contract today.”

Developed by Carbonarius, the plant will be capable of producing over 10 MW of renewable electricity for sale to the grid. The project will create more than 100 engineering, project management and construction jobs and 19 full time jobs on site once operational.

The Nexterra gasification system is a cornerstone of the £47.8 million project that will use 67,000 tonnes/year of locally-sourced class A – C recovered wood diverted from landfills to produce steam that will be converted into electricity through a steam turbine and generator system. The plant will supply enough electricity to power 17,000 homes and is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) by 107,000 tonnes per annum.

Nexterra will design and supply the complete biomass gasification-to-steam generation system from feedstock handling to emission controls, including four gasifiers, a high pressure boiler, and a flue gas treatment system. The Nexterra system qualifies as an Advanced Conversion Technology (ACT) under UK legislation, meaning that the power generated by the project will receive the highest band of Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs).

MWH, a global environmental, engineering and construction services company, will be responsible for construction and installation of the system as well as the balance of the plant, including the steam turbine and associated equipment used to produce the power.

The project is funded by an investment consortium which includes UK Green Investment Bank (“GIB”), Balfour Beatty plc, Eternity Capital Management Limited, Foresight Group’s UK Waste Resources and Energy Investments (UKWREI) fund in which GIB is a cornerstone investor, and GCP Infrastructure Fund with the developer, Carbonarius.