The CHP Plant at Poniel

The history of Coalburn is closely aligned with energy production. The village grew as deep mining for coal grew in the 19th century. As mines became exhausted or not profitable, its population declined but then open cast mining was becoming important with the opening of the Dalquhandy opencast mine in 1988. When British Coal went into receivership in 1997, mining ceased and Coalburn was left with a scarred landscape. Most of the holes have been filled in but the landscape still will take time to recover. The advent of windfarms has enabled this area and the hills between Coalburn and Douglas to be used for energy production.

As well as wind turbines, the area is concerned with energy storage and other sustainable methods of heat and energy production.

The CHP Plant at Poniel

The CHP (Combined Heat and Power) plant at Poniel was built and operated by Holz Energie UK. Date of Photo; 24th June 2018

This CHP (Combined Heat and Power) plant was built and operated by Holz Energie UK at Poniel. The plant dries biomass (wood chips) and gasifies the wood chips for heat and power generation. Future industrial units on this site (Connexus West) will be able to use some of the output from this plant.

It is built on the hardstanding that was used by the former Washing Plant of Dalquhandy Opencast Mine. On site production of woodchip from logs is also used with drying of the resultant chips.

The CHP plant is highly efficient at generating both heat and power through a process known as gasification. Woodchip is heated to an exceptionally high temperature, converting it from a solid state to gas. This virtually tar-free gas is then used to fuel a generator and produce electricity, which is used on-site with the excess sold back to the grid. The heat generated during this process can be used for heating or industrial processes.

The Connexus West development is one of Scotland's newest green commercial and industrial parks, home to a biomass CHP facility that produces constant, reliable heat and power all year round. Thermal energy produced by the plant can be used to heat the premises of neighbouring eco-park occupiers as well as being utilised by cold stores and companies that require heat in the manufacturing process.

The company, Holz Energie (UK) Ltd, was dissolved on 26 April 2022, but the plant is now run by 3R Energy who were the developers of the project.

Engine of CHP Plant

The German-made gas engine used at Poneil.

The fuel for the engine is Syngas which is created by the gasification or pyrolysis of carbonaceous materials. Gasification involves subjecting these materials to high temperatures, in the controlled presence of oxygen with only limited combustion to provide thermal energy to sustain the reaction. The gas contains carbon monoxide, hydrogen, methane, water vapour, carbon dioxide and nitrogen.

The gas engine is used for generation of a steady 1MW baseload of green electricity and 2MW of heat captured from cooling the engine and the feed gases provides the heat for external supply.

Sources of Information


Page produced: 3rd August 2022 DJH.