Cowie Biomass Facility — United Kingdom
Biomass power plant in Scotland, United Kingdom. Approximate location 56.0769, -3.8639.
BiomassScotlandUnited Kingdom
Cowie Biomass Facility is a 15 MW biomass power plant in Scotland, United Kingdom. It is operated by Norbord. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 21k homes (estimated). It ranks #700 of 2,860 United Kingdom power plants by installed capacity. In context, biomass supplies about 14.1% of United Kingdom's electricity; the national grid averages 217 gCO₂/kWh (64.4% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id GBR0000041.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.
capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 15 MW, Cowie Biomass Facility is well above the median biomass plant in United Kingdom (2.3 MW). Biomass plants burn organic material such as wood, residues or waste-derived fuel to raise steam; they are dispatchable and counted as low-carbon where the feedstock is sustainably sourced.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Share of United Kingdom biomass capacity
- 0.4% of 3,654 MW across 227 plants in this dataset
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest biomass plants in United Kingdom
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Norbord.
Local climate & thermal context
This biomass plant burns organic material (wood, residues) to raise steam for a turbine. It sits in a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 56.1°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
Heating degree-days here run 45% above the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.
Climate heat-demand index: 77/100 — this site sits in the top third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.
Site climate & environmental severity
This site sits in a moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.
Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.
How it compares & nearby plants
The #31 largest biomass power plant of 227 in United Kingdom by capacity.
United Kingdom has 227 biomass power plants in this dataset, together about 3,654 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Rosehill Wind Turbines · Wind · 2.4 MW · Scotland
- Tod Hill Farm Wind Turbines · Wind · 12 MW · Scotland
- Kincardine power station · Coal · 760 MW · Fife
- Caledon Green power station · Gas · 22.5 MW · Falkirk
- Longannet power station · Coal · 4,856 MW ·
- Craigengelt · Wind · 20 MW · Scotland
Location
Coordinates 56.0769, -3.8639 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Cowie Biomass Facility?
Cowie Biomass Facility is a 15 MW biomass power plant in Scotland, United Kingdom.
Who operates Cowie Biomass Facility?
Cowie Biomass Facility is operated by Norbord.