Bakewell Ovens uses biomass technology to bake green bread

(22/05/2009)

Bakewell Ovens, based in Haslingden, Rossendale, is the first in the UK to produce an integrated wood pellet fuelled bakery oven. The oven uses biomass technology, ensuring all bread baked is environmentally friendly - yet tastes as good as bread baked in a conventional oven.

Bakewell Ovens created the technology in response to demand for more energy efficient and cost saving equipment. They have also seen significant growth in their customer base.
The company has seen an excellent response to the wood pellet fuelled rack oven, which Richard McDonald from the company deems ‘unique to any other’.

The Bread Roll Bakery in Darwen Lancashire installed one of the new wood pellet rack ovens in December 2008 and is so impressed that a second has recently been installed. And with the bakery supplying approximately 180 outlets, local people are now eating ‘green’ bread.
Alex and Liam Fleck, the father and son who run the bakery, are delighted with their new purchases and feel that the cost savings, as well as the environmental benefits, could not have come at a better time.

“It’s really important for our industry to be looking at ways to cut down on energy use, especially at this time,” said Liam Fleck, of The Bread Roll Bakery in Darwen.

Maggie’s sandwich shop nearby in Darwen town centre buys bread from the Bread Roll Bakery, and proprietor, Margaret Hudson, said: “ I enjoy telling the customers how their bread is baked and the response has been very positive.”

Bakewell Ovens has also been backed by Envirolink Northwest, a not-for-profit organisation, funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) to support the development and growth of the energy and environmental technologies and services sector in the region.
Nigel Blandford, Senior Sector Development Manager at Envirolink Northwest, said: “We believe the wood pellet oven to be a worthwhile investment as it will benefit a great number of businesses financially, as well as having significant environmental advantages.”

The Northwest Biomass Project is a £750,000 project hosted by Envirolink Northwest and funded by the NWDA to increase the uptake of biomass energy systems by the region’s industries.

The bakery source its Balcas wood pellets from Bowland Bioenergy, a Preston based company which also produce its own wood chips. Mike Ingoldby, director of Bowland Bioenergy, said: “Business is increasing year on year, much of which comes via word of mouth. We supply everything from domestic wood burners in a 3 bed house to village halls and arts centres. Some people turn up to collect 20 bags or 4-5 tonnes!”

Related categories:  Biofuels and biomass