GMG Energy is nearing completion of a £100,000 sawdust drying and biomass briquette system at its site in Sutherland.
The system, at Upper Bighouse in the far north of Scotland, is entering beta testing before becoming operational. It is designed to reduce the moisture content of sawdust from 35% to 10%, after which the material can be processed into briquettes for domestic wood-burning stoves and heating systems.
The investment forms part of the company’s plan to reach net zero by 2035, which was developed after a carbon audit identified opportunities to cut emissions across the business.
Malcolm Morrison, director of GMG Energy, said: “Following our carbon audit, we developed a realistic and achievable plan to reach net zero by 2035. A key part of that strategy was looking closely at how we could reduce emissions while making better use of the materials already produced through our sawmill operations.
“This project does exactly that. Instead of transporting wet sawdust long distances, we’re able to process it on-site, significantly reducing transport emissions and turning a by-product into a valuable renewable fuel.”
The drying process is fully automated. Sawdust is fed into a rotating drum and passes through it continually until the required moisture content is reached, before moving on to the briquette production equipment.
The system uses renewable heat already generated by the company’s existing biomass infrastructure. GMG Energy said processing sawdust and woodchip on-site would reduce transport requirements and associated emissions, and support its ambition to create a near zero-waste operation.
Morrison added: “We’re producing a couple of tonnes of sawdust every week, so finding a better use for that material was an obvious opportunity. The new system dries the sawdust to the ideal level before converting it into briquettes that can be used in wood-burning stoves by customers across the region.
“It’s a great example of circular economy thinking in action. We’re reducing waste, creating a new income stream for the business and producing a renewable fuel that can stay within local communities rather than being transported hundreds of miles.”
Commissioning is under way, and the system is expected to be fully operational in the coming weeks.
Read next: Balfour Beatty to deliver £65m Edinburgh Airport expansion
Are you a building professional? Sign up for a FREE MEMBERSHIP to upload news stories, post job vacancies, and connect with colleagues on our secure social feed.
