Sunseeker launches circular biomass project

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Sunseeker International will use its waste timber as a source of renewable heat following an innovative biomass initiative in partnership with AMP Clean Energy, a developer, operator and owner of low-carbon energy projects.

The project will enable Sunseeker – which produces around 1,360 tonnes of usable timber arisings from its boat building operations in Poole and Portland – to process the waste timber and provide a source of renewable heat to two sites, saving about 1,200 tonnes of carbon each year.

AMP Clean Energy funded and installed a 500kW biomass boiler at the Technology Centre in Mannings Heath in Poole and a 1MW biomass boiler and ancillary equipment at Osprey Quay in Portland, supplying heat to both sites under a 20-year energy supply agreement. The project enables Sunseeker to replace fossil-fuel systems as the primary source of heat – gas at the Technology Centre and oil and gas at Osprey Quay.

Andrea Frabetti, CEO at Sunseeker, said: “This is a really innovative project that supports our sustainable development, and our responsibility to reduce carbon emissions throughout our operations.

“All the timber we use as part of the boat building process comes from FSC-certified sources and this solution prevents waste from going to landfill, as well as giving us a renewable source of heat. The cost and carbon reductions speak for themselves, and it means we can continue to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels at our sites, as well as reduce emissions throughout the wider supply chain.”

As a result of the move away from fossil fuels, Sunseeker will save nearly 24,000 tonnes of carbon over the course of the partnership, and benefit from savings of around one-third equating to £100,000 (about US$135,000) per annum or over £2 million during the 20-year agreement.

Richard Burrell, CEO of AMP Clean Energy, said: “AMP Clean Energy is delighted to have worked with the team at Sunseeker to develop, own and operate this important clean energy generating facility which will help to decarbonise the boat building process. Our solution was to show how the waste timber in the Sunseeker factory could be cleaned, chipped and processed on-site and then reused as biomass to provide renewable heat to two principal sites.

“This really is the circular economy in action. It’s not only reusing the waste timber that arises during the manufacturing process reducing the volume of material going to landfill but at the same time provides renewable heat to its manufacturing facilities, reducing Sunseeker’s reliance on oil and gas to heat its buildings.”

The new system supports Sunseeker’s move towards more sustainable manufacturing, which includes reducing its reliance on fossil fuels across its supply chain, developing more fuel-efficient and hybrid yachts, and a partnership with Blue Marine Foundation.