Defra's New Technologies Demonstrator Programme is aiming to establish 10 new plants to sow the seeds for new waste treatment technologies in England.
” We can't wait forever and we may now now look to alternative forms of funding, so far it has only slowed us down. “
– Cllr Gary Hopkins, Bristol CC
One of the 10 plants sharing 30 million in government support within the programme was to be the pyrolysis and gasification proposed by technology firm Compact Power in Bristol.
The 18 million proposal, designed to process 28,000 tonnes of household waste each year, has spent a long time in development, and was given planning approval in December 2004. The promise of support from Defra had left Bristol city council and Compact Power hanging on.
But concerns are now turning to the costs involved with the wait involved – as the landfill allowance trading scheme will soon begin to bite.
Cllr Gary Hopkins, executive member for sustainable environment and neighbourhoods, told letsrecycle.com: “We are waiting on Defra to finalise the paperwork and both the council and Compact Power are ready to go. We can't wait forever and we may now look to alternative forms of funding, so far the government has only slowed us down.”
Responding to these concerns, Defra could not comment on the length of time the process was taking. A spokeswoman said: “Contracts are at the due diligence stage and will be signed as soon as the process has been completed. Details will be issued in due course.”
Restrictions
Cllr Hopkins said the attraction of the Defra New Technologies Programme had been as much to do with the official government seal of approval for the technology involved as the financial support provided. But he added that the terms of the programme meant certain restrictions – which would be lifted by leaving the programme.
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He said: “For Compact Power, the attraction of allowing to Defra to get involved was that it would put an official stamp of approval in the technology. As part of the agreement for the fund Defra has put restrictions on the type of waste that the plant can accept, including the banning of high value commercial waste. Without Defra the plant could accept this waste.”
The pyrolysis and gasification technology developed by Compact Power and tested at a pilot plant involves the “cooking” of mixed wastes at high temperatures to produce power and heat. The proposed plant is designed to produce about 1.8MW of power and heat.
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