From steel city to smart city: future proofing Sheffield with tech

Imagine a future where a biomass plant can predict its own maintenance needs, AI advises the best moment to clean its boilers, reinforces good safety practices and compliance checks run seamlessly in the background. That’s exactly the kind of future the team at our Blackburn Meadows site is working towards - exploring the ‘art of the possible’ to ensure we stay ahead.

Blackburn Meadows isn’t just generating energy - it’s generating ideas. At our Discovery Day, site engineers, operators, technicians and Digital Technology (DT) teams came together to rethink how AI, automation and digital tools could transform operations and keep us at the forefront of innovation. But this wasn’t just about blue-sky thinking; it was about tangible innovation, connecting on-site teams with digital specialists to explore one big question: How can emerging technology make life easier, safer, and more efficient?

A site with a story - and a future

Blackburn Meadows has always been a place of transformation. Once home to coal fired power station and the iconic Tinsley Towers, a landmark on the M1 before their demolition in 2008, it has since evolved into a powerhouse of renewable energy.

Since 2015, the site has been an iconic source of renewable power, using recycled waste wood sourced from across the UK to generate 30MW of electrical energy and up to 25MW of thermal energy.

Now, with plans to expand our heat network by 10km, connecting even more businesses and homes in the Lower Don Valley, and looking to implement hydrogen via the HYDESS project, Blackburn Meadows is continuing to evolve. To support this progress, the team explored how AI, automation and data-driven decision-making could streamline everyday processes and make the site safer, smarter and more efficient.

Leading innovation into the future

“The world is evolving, and so must we. With groundbreaking digital technologies and tools, many of which are already available via our DT teams, we have an exciting opportunity to lead the way in shaping a cleaner, more efficient future.” Blackburn Meadows Site Manager, Jess Dhariwal

With that mindset, the team explored a range of game-changing innovations, including:

• From spreadsheets to smart systems: instead of manual Weighbridge data entry, automation could save time, reduce errors and improve reporting
• AI that works smarter: AI could analyse water chemistry and optimise boiler cleaning, cutting costs and boosting efficiency
• Predicting risks before they happen: AI and thermal imaging could identify fire hazards before they escalate
• Digital twins for a digital future: A 3D model of the plant, presented in Virtual or Augmented Reality, displaying live operational data, has the potential to revolutionise training, planning and engagement
• Intelligent compliance, seamless integration: AI-driven real-time monitoring and advanced systems can ensure we stay ahead in safety, environmental standards and continuous operational improvement

The potential of these innovations doesn’t stop here. This is about more than one site - it’s about how we are driving innovation across our entire network.

With Sheffield’s ambition to become a greener, more sustainable city, the ideas explored at Blackburn Meadows could have a much wider impact - helping local businesses, supporting infrastructure projects and shaping a smarter, cleaner future.

Shaping the future, today

Our Discovery Day was just the beginning. The DT team is already working on how to bring many of these ideas to life - and this forward-thinking approach is exactly what will keep us ahead of the game.

Kara Flook, Emerging Technology Lead at E.ON UK, who’s working on the collaboration at Blackburn Meadows, said: “We’re so excited about the value emerging technology can bring to Blackburn Meadows. The ideas brought forward from all sectors of the business were inspiring and key to understanding how and where digitalisation can be most valuable. With plans already underway to develop the most promising use cases from our Discovery Day, we’re eager to turn these ideas into reality and drive the future of innovation together."

Blackburn Meadows isn’t just a biomass plant. It’s a hub of innovation, problem-solving and digital transformation. And as we push the boundaries of what’s possible, we’re not just shaping the future of this site - we’re shaping the future of energy itself.