Biomass plant at Quaker Oats site is not so simple
ByThe Courier Reporter
A proposed multi-million-pound biomass plant to provide heat and electricity to the Quaker Oats mill in Fife is dependent on Government funding.
The Cupar mill has been operating since 1947 and supplies tens of millions of portions of porridge oats into the UK and international markets annually.
In 2012, owners PepsiCo, the food and drinks giant behind brands such as Pepsi, Walkers and Doritos, invested £14.4m in the site to double production capacity.
Over the course of the past decade, the company has spent more than £50m on upgrading the site, which now supports more than 200 jobs.
PepsiCo now wants to improve efficiency and sustainability by developing a biomass plant that will burn waste oat husks and produce heat and power.
The company is working with planning officials on its proposals.
However, a PepsiCo spokesman said: “The biomass boiler is dependent on Government funding. There is an auction in the autumn and PepsiCo will be bidding for funds then.”
Biomass plant at Quaker Oats site is not so simple