The plans by Peel Environmental and Waste2Tricity have been announced this week (July 8) despite the fact that there are no contracts proposed at present. However, Waste2Tricity claims there is an abundance of available waste feedstock sources in the local region.
The Nottinghamshire project is the first in the UK for energy-from-waste specialist Waste2Tricity. Non-executive directors at the firm include Peter Jones OBE, former director of development and external affairs at Biffa, and Keith Riley, who recently retired as director of technology at Veolia Environmental Services.
According to Manchester-based Peel Environmental, the proposals would see a 70 gasification and MRF developed at Bilsthorpe Business Park, which would handle around 120,000 tonnes of non-hazardous waste each year from businesses and households across Nottinghamshire and surrounding areas,
From this, Peel Environmental said up to 23,000 tonnes of material such as glass, metals and plastics would be recycled and the remaining 97,000 tonnes of residual waste would be treated to generate electricity through gasification.
Gasification
The gasification section of the facility is intended to generate up to 10.2MW of electricity for the national grid enough to power around 24,000 homes or 14 villages the size of Bilsthorpe.
‘The Bilsthorpe Energy Centre would divert up to 120,000 tonnes of waste from landfill each year, recycle valuable materials to be made into new products and recover energy’
Richard Barker, development manager, Peel Environmental
According to Waste2Tricity, the technology used to treat the waste is an alternative to more traditional EfW ventures such as incineration as it generates synthesis gas (syngas) through plasma gasification. The syngas produced is then be passed through clean-up processes and used to power the internal combustion engines which generate the electricity.
Richard Barker, development manager at Peel Environmental, said: The Bilsthorpe Energy Centre would divert up to 120,000 tonnes of waste from landfill each year, recycle valuable materials to be made into new products and recover energy.
Mr Barker said the plant would bring 40 jobs and 70 million of investment to the area, which would help boost the local economy.
Two public exhibitions of the proposals for local residents are being held at Bilsthorpe Village Hall on July 19 from 4-8pm and on July 20 from 10am-2pm, before a planning application is submitted to Nottinghamshire county council later this year.
Mr Barker added: The Bilsthorpe Energy Centre is part of a number of developments that Peel Environmental is bringing forward across the UK to help meet the countrys future energy needs. We look forward to speaking with those who live and work in Bilsthorpe and Eakring over the coming weeks to explain the proposals and take on board the views of the local community.
The project in Nottingham is a joint venture between Peel Environmental and owner of the site, Harworth Estates, which is the property arm of mining company Coalfield Resources.
Eddie Peat, director at Harworth Estates, said: We are extremely supportive of this innovative proposal. The Energy Centre represents substantial investment into the site and the local economy which would make a valuable contribution to the regeneration of the former Bilsthorpe Colliery.
Part of the Peel Group, Peel Environmental secured planning in December 2012 for a 145 million energy-from-waste facility in Glasgow (see letsrecycle.com story). The firm was also granted permission in April to develop a 23.5 million anaerobic digestion facility in North Selby, Yorkshire (see letsrecycle.com story).
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