Power plant on Reunion Island to be converted to biomass

A 108-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant located on an island in the Indian Ocean located approximately 500 miles east of Madagascar will soon be converted to biomass, according to France-based power producer Albioma.

Albioma announced on Dec. 8 that its Bois-Rouge power plant located on Reunion Island will be converted to take in biobased fuel. Conversion work will begin as early as 2021 with the facility expected to run on 100 percent biomass by the second half of 2023.

Priority will be given to locally produced biomass, including bagasse, forest wood, and pruning wood, and supplemented with sustainably certified imported wood pellets.

According to Albioma, the conversion will increase the island’s renewable power mix to 51 percent, up from a current 35 percent. A power purchase agreement for the facility has been extended until 2043.

Additional information is available on the Albioma website.