PBE Fuels, a biomass fuel producer based at Canaston Bridge in Pembrokeshire, Wales, has secured planning approval to expand its operations with two new storage sheds at New House Farm.
The proposed facilities will provide additional space for storing and drying biomass fuels and agricultural products, including wood chip, pellets, wet wood and cereals. The expansion is intended to address capacity constraints at the site, particularly for wood chip and sawdust, as well as the need for facilities to dry wet material delivered from forestry operations, sawmills and smaller suppliers.
The development comes as the company continues to supply biomass fuel to commercial and public-sector customers across Pembrokeshire and neighbouring counties.
New sheds to support biomass drying and storage
PBE Fuels said its existing facilities have limited capacity for storing wood chip and sawdust and lack sufficient drying facilities for wet material. The two approved sheds are intended to help address these operational requirements.
The planned facilities will accommodate biomass materials from a range of sources, including forestry operations, sawmills and smaller suppliers. The ability to store and dry incoming materials is an important part of biomass fuel preparation, helping suppliers manage feedstock before it is delivered to end users.
Wood chip and pellets are used in biomass heating systems, while the handling requirements for wet wood differ from those for material that has already been dried and processed. Additional storage and drying capacity could give PBE Fuels greater flexibility in managing incoming supplies and preparing fuel for customers.
The planning approval allows the company to proceed with the expansion, although the available information does not specify a construction timetable or the additional storage capacity the sheds will provide.
Biomass fuel supplies serve commercial and public-sector users
PBE Fuels supplies wood chip and pellet fuel to a range of customers in Pembrokeshire and nearby counties. Its customers include the Bluestone holiday resort and its Blue Lagoon Water Park, Aberglasney Gardens, Folly Farm, care homes, schools, hospitals, hotels and Haverfordwest Leisure Centre.
The company’s biomass operation began in 2005, when Bluestone agreed a deal to identify an environmentally and economically viable way to heat the Blue Lagoon Water Park. Planning permission for biomass storage followed in 2007, and PBE Fuels has supplied dry wood chip to heat the water park for nearly two decades.
The relationship illustrates how local biomass supply chains can support heat demand from leisure facilities and other organisations. Reliable fuel preparation, storage and delivery are important to maintaining consistent supplies for customers that depend on biomass heating.
Pembrokeshire operation has expanded over time
PBE Fuels employs 14 people at New House Farm, a 600-acre site that has expanded from its original 250 acres. The location also accommodates offices for the nearby Bluestone complex.
The approved sheds would add to the site’s existing operations, which combine biomass fuel production and supply with agricultural activities.
The proposed expansion reflects the infrastructure requirements behind biomass heating: beyond the boiler or heating system itself, suppliers need facilities to receive, handle, dry and store fuel before delivery.
Bioenergy Business Analysis
PBE Fuels’ planned expansion highlights the importance of feedstock logistics in regional biomass markets. Storage and drying facilities can influence the ability of suppliers to handle different material types, manage seasonal supply and deliver fuel that meets customers’ requirements.
For wood-chip heating systems, moisture content is a key operational consideration because it affects the fuel’s usable energy content and combustion performance. Access to suitable drying and storage capacity can therefore form an important part of the supply chain, alongside sourcing, processing, transport and quality control.
PBE Fuels’ existing customer base includes leisure facilities and public-sector organisations, demonstrating the range of heat users served by local biomass suppliers. The scale of the benefit from the approved expansion will become clearer once construction plans, storage capacity and operational details are available.
The development is a reminder that the growth of bioenergy depends not only on demand for renewable heat, but also on practical infrastructure that supports reliable fuel supply.
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