The contract begins on 1 February 2024 and covers a five-year period with an option for an additional five years.
Announced on 15 November, a tender notice the following day valued the contract at up to £1 million.
The deal secures capacity at Severn Trent Green Power’s Coleshill Anaerobic Digestion plant. The council began its food waste collection service in 2022, using “interim” deals.
However, with mandatory food was collections incoming, the council said it is expected that treatment capacity for separately collected food waste will be in high demand as more councils move to this collection method and it is therefore “sensible to secure this capacity now”.
The contract involves managing food waste from various districts, initially Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick. Later, waste from Nuneaton, Bedworth, North Warwickshire, and Rugby boroughs will also be incorporated, totalling approximately 264,000 homes during the contract term. Severn Trent Green Power says that this is expected to divert up to 20,000 tonnes of food waste annually.
In addition to waste treatment, the company pledges to collaborate with the council on various initiatives including supporting local environmental and community projects, creating apprenticeship opportunities in renewable energy and waste management, conducting educational outreach programs, and involving employees in volunteering for Warwickshire community work.
‘Delighted’
Andrew Simm, commercial director at Severn Trent Green Power said: “I am delighted that we have been able to build upon the foundations created through our extremely successful short-term contract with Warwickshire County Council to secure the county’s long term food waste treatment contract.
“All waste derived from within the county will be treated at our Coleshill anaerobic digestion facility, converting the waste into renewable energy and a valuable organic fertiliser. We are also excited to work collaboratively with the council to rollout our proposed social value offering, which will see Green Power deliver social and environmental initiatives throughout the contract term.”
Reduce
Over the ten-year period, this partnership aims to produce an estimated 73,000MWh of electricity, equivalent to making nearly 1.3 billion cups of tea.
Cllr Heather Timms, Warwickshire county council portfolio holder for environment, climate, and culture said: “We are very happy to be able to extend our contact with Severn Trent Green Power to cover food waste from the whole of Warwickshire. This is a clear demonstration of this Council’s commitment to doing everything it can to reduce its impact on the rapidly changing climate.
“Not only does this provide a solution to increase the proportion of food waste collected for recycling from households across the county, it also produces a large amount of totally renewable energy and nutrient-rich fertiliser for our farmers.”
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