A huge storage silo, which can contain 65,000 tonnes of wood pellets, is now ready at Studstrup Power Station. The construction has been ongoing since July 2014. In connection with the construction of the silo, more than 800 meters of closed conveyor belts have been installed to transport the wood pellets from the harbour to the silo and into the boiler.
Now, the first wood pellets are arriving by ship to Studstrup Power Station's own harbour, and DONG Energy begins filling the large storage silo so that the fuel is ready for the coming heating season.
Lars Lærkedahl, Project Manager in DONG Energy and responsible for the conversion of Studstrup Power Station, said:
"We've now reached an important milestone in our efforts to ensure that one million inhabitants in Aarhus get district heating based on wood pellets instead of coal. Now, we have to test that the transport systems and the silo are working, and then we'll fill the silo with wood pellets."
The conveyor belts will be transporting the wood pellets from the harbour and to a height of 43 meters at the top of the silo. From here, the wood pellets will be poured into the silo. Underground corridors have been constructed to ensure transport of the wood pellets from the silo and into the boiler via conveyor belts.
Lærkedahl added:
"The conversion of the power station continues full steam ahead so that we can be ready in the autumn as planned."
DONG Energy expects that the conversion of Studstrup Power Station will be completed during the summer of 2016. Upon completion, the commissioning phase will start. This means that everything will be tested in order for the power station to be ready to use wood pellets as fuel instead of coal in autumn 2016.
In addition to Studstrup Power Station, DONG Energy is currently also converting the Skærbæk Power Station near Fredericia and the Avedøre Power Station in Copenhagen so that in future, the three power plants will be able to use biofuel rather than coal or gas.
