AN energy company is researching plans for a wood-burning power station in South Derbyshire.

E.ON UK has held discussions about building the station – also known as a biomass plant – near Drakelow.

It would be on the site of the former Drakelow power station, where E.ON also plans a gas-fired power station.

Biomass power stations burn renewable fuels, such as corn, poplar and willow, instead of coal or gas, to create electricity.

South Derbyshire MP Mark Todd has backed the biomass idea in Parliament.

E.ON said discussions with the district council were at an early stage and that a planning application was not a certainty.

Mr Todd said the introduction of sustainable energy plants was important for the future.

He said: "If the power station used for example, willow, it would have its own trees which would absorb carbon-dioxide from the plant. You would end up recycling the carbon-dioxide rather than generating it."

The MP said he thought similar power stations could be built elsewhere in Derbyshire.

He said: "Drakelow would be an obvious place because it's already hooked up to the National Grid but there are other places – near Castle Donington, for example."

Mr Todd raised the issue in Parliament with Hillary Benn, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Councillors from villages near Drakelow said they would welcome news of another power station.

A spokeswoman for E.ON said there were no immediate plans to forge ahead with the biomass station.

She said: "We've got the green light to build the gas station at Drakelow, which will be finished in 2011.

"We are now looking at options for what else could be done with the site.

"If a biomass station was built, it would feed into the national grid and provide power for local homes."

She said any planning process would include consultation with local residents and could last up to two years.

District council head of planning services Jill Hague said it was not certain that E.ON UK would submit a planning application.

In October last year, E.ON received Government permission to build its £350m gas power station on the former Drakelow power station site.

The station will produce energy for about a million homes but will create only half the carbon emissions of its coal-fired predecessor.

Hundreds of construction jobs will be created, as well as 70 permanent jobs on site.

In announcing approval for the plant last year, Malcolm Wicks, Minister of State for Energy, said the scheme was vital to help secure UK energy supplies. He said it was "important industry brings forward new energy infrastructure to maintain a diverse energy mix".