De Boer’s structures meet storage demands within biomass sector

Ever-expanding interest in Europe’s renewable energy sector is leading to a surge in demand for storage facilities – and a busy time for structure specialist De Boer.

Semi-permanent accommodation
The company, which supplies semi-permanent accommodation from offices in the UK and across the continent, has secured a major contract with Falu Energi & Vatten (FEV), a key player in Sweden’s electricity, power generation and water industries.

Huge storage facilities
The deal will see De Boer providing FEV with two huge storage facilities for biomass – pellets created from plant, animal and biological materials. In total, the buildings will offer space totalling more than 40,000 cubic metres.

Cost-effective energy sources
Robert Alvarez, De Boer’s UK-based Sales Director – Commercial, said: “Worldwide demand for efficient and cost-effective sources of energy is leading to an inevitable rise in interest in the renewables sector. However, this presents companies with a challenge in finding suitable storage space for materials associated with biomass.

Robust and secure
“It’s clear that clients are seeking robust and secure facilities – but also ones that offer flexibility and can be put in place speedily. This has led to intense interest in semi-permanent accommodation, with structures such as De Boer’s offering robust solutions while potentially being in place in a fraction of the time it would take to erect a permanent storage facility.”

Boost for the economy
He added: “In such economically challenging times the growth of biomass and other sources of renewable energy also offers a very real boost for the economy, providing the potential for both revenue and employment.”

All Weather Halls
De Boer’s latest contract will see the company erecting two of its mighty All Weather Hall structures in Falun, a city in Dalarna County, central Sweden. Measuring 35m by 78m and 35m by 102m, the facilities will be tailor made to meet FEV's storage needs.

Potential lifespan of 50 years
Construction work is due to get under way in the second half of July, with the first structure completed in October and the second in December. Despite being semi-permanent, the structures are capable of remaining in place for more than 20 years – with a potential lifespan exceeding half a century.

Steel-framed structure
The contract with FEV marks yet another success for De Boer’s All Weather Hall, which was first designed to withstand the extremes of Scandinavia’s winter weather conditions. The steel-framed, clearspan structure has since been used across Europe for a wide range of storage purposes – from minerals and gritting salt to vehicles, plant and machinery.

Growing interest
There has also been growing interest from the biomass sector, with the contract in Falun following on from a similar assignment for a client in Norrsundet, Norrland, on Sweden’s east coast.

High-barrel, vaulted roof
For this contract, De Boer’s All Weather Hall measured 38 metres by 130 metres and reached approximately 17 metres at its apex height. The design used a high-barrel, vaulted roof, providing the facility with up to 50,000 cubic metres of bio-fuel storage space.