Next generation EfW project launched

ETI – a partnership between energy companies including BP, E.ON and Shell and the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) – was set up to help develop alternative sources of energy that will help the UK meet its 2050 climate change targets.

The groups Bio Energy programme is co-ordinating the project, and intends to commercially demonstrate the ability of advanced thermal conversion (ATC) gasification plants to convert typical wastes into electricity and heat at higher efficiencies than achieved through other technologies. It will fund the design and construction of the plant, with the facility scheduled to be operational by 2016.

Proposals

ETI has issued a request for proposals from companies and individuals interested in becoming involved in the project, and is looking for members of the academic community, EfW specialists and waste companies, as well as specialists from outside the waste sector, to take part. The deadline for submissions is July 2.

The group believes that ATC schemes could operate at significantly higher efficiency than incineration based systems, with the production of gas that could be used in turbines to produce electricity and heat, or injected into the grid.

ATC involves gasification technology with the resultant gas then passing through a gas clean-up system. The clean gas then passes through a gas engine or turbine to create energy.

Dr David Clarke, chief executive of the ETI said: Bio Energy should be a key component of any future energy systems mix to meet the demands of providing affordable, clean and secure energy. We have already completed an extensive analysis of the existing energy-from-waste technologies, as well as the breakdown of typical UK municipal, commercial and industrial waste.

From this we believe that improved technology for the integrated gasification of waste together with gas clean up and subsequent combustion of cleaned gas in either a gas reciprocating engine or turbine would provide an effective and efficient solution. Our modelling indicates that such a plant design could operate at a net efficiency of 25%, which significantly exceeds the performance of current plants in operation.

Successful design of such a plant also provides an opportunity to move away from the inefficiency and reducing availability of landfill sites. This waste could contribute up to four per cent of UK energy by 2050.

In September 2009, ETI commissioned a study to assess the energy content of waste created across the UK, involving Shanks Waste Management, EDF Energy and Cranfield University (see letsrecycle.com story). The group has said that the findings of the study, which have not yet been made public, will feed into its work in the new project.