Sunseeker to save 1000 tonnes of carbon

Sunseeker International has announced its partnership with AMP Clean Energy, and the launch of a ‘circular’ biomass project that will save around 1,200 tonnes of carbon each year.

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 in order to provide a source of renewable heat to two sites, resulting in savings of approximately 1,200 tonnes of carbon each year.

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

Under a 20-year supply agreement, 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.

According to the yacht manufacturer, moving away from fossil fuels will save Sunseeker nearly 24,000 tonnes of carbon over the course of the partnership with monetary savings of around one-third, equating to £100,000 (c. €116,131) per annum; over £2 million (c. €2.3 million) during the 20-year agreement.

“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,” continued Frabetti.

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.”

This move sees Sunseeker shifting towards more sustainable manufacturing.

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Source: Marine Industry News