Charlesfield First has secured outline planning consent to develop a wood pellet manufacturing facility at Charlesfield to run in parallel with the neighbouring Charlesfield Biomass CHP Plant. It is anticipated there will be an initial output of about 10,000 tonnes per year of pellets potentially using heat available from the Charlesfield Biomass CHP plant in this process.

Charlesfield First and the project company Charlesfield Fuels Limited are currently working to secure a project partner allowing the financing and subsequent delivery of the wood pellet manufacturing facility to commence during 2010 and 2011. This will allow a great opportunity to create rural employment. It will  take advantage of any increase in demand for wood pellet fuel supplies required as a consequence of market forces for renewable fuel resources and the introduction in April 2010 of the UK Government Carbon Reduction Commitment requirements for certain organisations.

The opportunity currently exists to share wood fuel supplies and preparation with the Charlesfield Biomass CHP Plant and to work with Scottish Enterprise, the local Housing Associations and the Borders Machinery Ring and others to create a local demand and distribution capability. Charlesfield First and Charlesfield Fuel Limited are working to turn this opportunity into a reality.