on 28 Sep 2021
Two of the builder's UK sites will replace their fossil fuel heaters with biomass boilers that use waste derived from boat-building
Britain’s Sunseeker International has announced a new biomass initiative that will allow the company to use waste timber from its boat-building operations to provide a source of renewable heat at two sites in southern England.
The initiative is a partnership is with AMP Clean Energy, a specialist developer, operator and owner of low-carbon energy projects.
The move will see Sunseeker replace fossil fuel systems as the primary source of heat at its Poole and Portland sites, resulting in savings of around 1,200 tonnes of carbon each year.
Currently, Sunseeker’s Technology Centre in Poole is heated by gas, while Osprey Quay in Portland is heated by oil and gas.
AMP Clean Energy funded and installed a 500kW biomass boiler at the Technology Centre in Mannings Heath, 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.
“This is a really innovative project that supports our sustainable development, and our responsibility to reduce carbon emissions throughout our operations,” says Andrea Frabetti, Chief Executive Officer at Sunseeker. “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.
Sunseeker’s ‘Famous Five’ pictured near Dorset in England after their launch in May
“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 (US$134,544) per annum; over £2m during the 20-year agreement.
Richard Burrell, CEO of AMP Clean Energy added: “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 is 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 move is part of Sunseeker’s move towards more sustainable manufacturing, and follows its recent partnership with the Blue Marine Foundation.