to read the full report - Ecolateral by Peter Jones
to read the full report - Ecolateral by Peter Jones
to read the full report - Ecolateral by Peter Jones
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
114<br />
Evaluation of Opportunities for Converting Indigenous UK Wastes <strong>to</strong> Wastes and Energy<br />
AEA/ED45551/Issue 1<br />
Although using waste as a resource for energy generation is likely <strong>to</strong> increase, <strong>the</strong> output of <strong>the</strong> UK’s EfW<br />
plants above is small compared <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> energy generated through traditional methods such as coal power<br />
stations. The sum of output described above is 395MW, where as Britain’s traditional power stations’<br />
output was 75,000MW in 2007. 201<br />
Four new EfW plants (with associated recycling and reprocessing facilities) are planned for London in <strong>the</strong><br />
near future, based on <strong>the</strong> Mayor of London's Waste Strategy. 202 These are: Dagenham, Newhaven (in<br />
East Sussex), Lakeside and Belvedere. The Dagenham proposal includes a proposed gasification plant<br />
<strong>to</strong> process 100,000 <strong>to</strong>nnes of waste each year and generate 15MW of electricity. Contracts between<br />
Shanks, <strong>the</strong> opera<strong>to</strong>r, and Ford, <strong>the</strong> beneficiary, have been signed but construction has been delayed.<br />
The Newhaven site has <strong>full</strong> planning permission and it is intended that <strong>the</strong> steam produced will be used<br />
for heat energy. 203 The Lakeside EfW Ltd site will be capable of handling 410,000 <strong>to</strong>nnes of waste per<br />
annum and is expected <strong>to</strong> open in July 2009, 204 while <strong>the</strong> Belvedere site in South East London is<br />
expected <strong>to</strong> process 600,000 <strong>to</strong>nnes per annum of waste and generate 66MW of electricity.<br />
In addition INEOS Chlor on Merseyside has permission <strong>to</strong> build a site capable of consuming 800,000<br />
<strong>to</strong>nnes of stabilised fuel from municipal waste, generating 100MW of electricity and 360MW of heat <strong>to</strong> be<br />
used largely on <strong>the</strong> chemicals site.<br />
International Situation<br />
The numbers of EfW plants world-wide continues <strong>to</strong> grow. Several countries in Europe, for example<br />
Denmark and Germany, have a strong his<strong>to</strong>ry of incineration, and <strong>the</strong> process is widely accepted <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
public. Such countries have found it relatively easy <strong>to</strong> move <strong>to</strong> EfW plants in terms of public perception,<br />
and as such use of EfW tends <strong>to</strong> be more widesp<strong>read</strong>.<br />
Currently <strong>the</strong>re are at least 91 sites throughout Western Europe that use MSW as <strong>the</strong> main fuel source for<br />
EfW combustion plants. Some of <strong>the</strong>se sites augment <strong>the</strong> MSW with bio-solids, wood, straw, and hospital<br />
waste depending on <strong>the</strong> site. World wide <strong>the</strong>re are at least 154 industrial scale waste <strong>to</strong> energy plants, a<br />
considerable number are in <strong>the</strong> USA, while China and Taiwan also have several each.<br />
Japan has many functioning EfW facilities as well as numerous straight incinera<strong>to</strong>rs. This is due <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
policy of waste minimisation that has been pursued for a number of decades, due <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> limited land<br />
space. Only recently has deriving energy from <strong>the</strong> waste incineration process become a priority. Of<br />
Japan’s 1,301 incinera<strong>to</strong>rs in 2006, 293 generated electricity (7,190 GWh per annum). 205 Of <strong>the</strong>se<br />
facilities 7.4% do not carry out direct incineration, but convert waste <strong>to</strong> energy and fuels via o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
technologies, 206 which represents a 5-fold increase between 2001and 2006. 205 Such technologies are<br />
discussed below.<br />
8.2.2 Biomass CHP Plant for Commercial Food Waste<br />
In Widnes, Cheshire a combustion biomass CHP plant is operated <strong>by</strong> PDM, that is heavily utilised <strong>by</strong> 28<br />
Sainsbury’s s<strong>to</strong>res in Scotland, for disposal of 56,000 <strong>to</strong>nnes of commercial food waste. 207 The excess<br />
electricity generated is fed in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> grid, and <strong>the</strong> heat produced utilised <strong>by</strong> an adjacent chemicals<br />
company. Meat is separated for rendering and packaging for recycling before <strong>the</strong> waste is burnt.<br />
Sainsbury’s intends <strong>to</strong> extend <strong>the</strong> scheme <strong>to</strong> all s<strong>to</strong>res, sending additional material <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> CHP biomass<br />
201 Giant offshore wind farms <strong>to</strong> supply half of UK power, The Sunday Times, 9 th December 2007.<br />
202 London Development Agency Press Release 2007, http://www.lda.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.2127<br />
203 Newhaven Incinera<strong>to</strong>r Clears Final Hurdle, 17.03.09, LetsRecycle.com<br />
http://www.letsrecycle.com/do/ecco.py/view_item?listid=37&listcatid=217&listitemid=31241<br />
204 Lakeside EfW Project Update, Viridor Waste Management, http://www.viridor-waste.co.uk/lakeside-energy-from-waste-project-update<br />
205 The status of MSW Management, 2005, http://www.env.go.jp/press/press.php?serial=8277<br />
206 Japan's waste management 2006, published September 2008, Department of Environment Japan,<br />
http://www.env.go.jp/recycle/waste_tech/ippan/h18/data/disposal2.doc<br />
207 ENDS Report 409, February 2009, p.18-19, Supermarkets burn food waste as anaerobic digestion shortage bites.