Shanks points to long-term future for SRF

Responding to news that Defra intends to examine the markets for refuse-derived fuel to make it a “genuine option” for councils (see letsrecycle.com story), the Milton Keynes-based company claimed that markets for SRF had “taken time” to develop but needed continued momentum to offer a viable long term option for power and heat generation from renewable sources.

Shanks – which produces SRF at its Frog Island and Jenkins Lane plants in East London – said that the government work on investigating outputs for the fuel illustrated its belief that there was long term potential for generating energy using SRF combustion. As a result, it said that SRF should no longer be a “peripheral issue” on boardroom agendas.

Amanda Gascoyne, SRF contracts manager at Shanks, said: “Let's be clear, developments into the use of SRF are not the latest ‘whim' of the current administration. The creation and ultimately the use of fuels created from waste has implications across both energy and waste policy. How best to facilitate its development has, not surprisingly, taken time.”

“We need to continue to work hard to ensure that we look to the long term and maintain the momentum in the development of markets that has been achieved to date,” she added.

Proven

Shanks claimed that energy would play an important part in long term waste management options for local authorities, either through the direct thermal treatment of waste, the manufacturing of fuel such as SRF, or through anaerobic digestion.

And, the company said that the deliverability of production plants for the creation of SRF was proven and pointed to the fact that Europe employs numerous combustion facilities – using a range of technologies in a variety of settings to generate energy and, in many cases, heat from SRF or via anaerobic digestion.

It also claimed that the UK had great potential to create power from waste using prepared fuel such as SRF, but pointed out that time to exploit this was running out in light of heavy fines under the EU Landfill Directive.

Markets

Shanks acknowledged the effect of the recession on businesses such as cement kilns, which burn SRF, but claimed that it was still “very confident” with regards to the potential of fuel creation from municipal solid waste (MSW).

Ms Gascoyne said: “In the current quagmire of bad news stories, it's just too easy for the media to deride just another good idea and an idea which has been evolving for a long time at that. Of course the cement industry is suffering from the downturn but our contracts, good quality fuel product and excellent working relationships with our customers have and will continue to ensure that we can work together to mitigate the effects.

“Outside of the cement industry, our developments into markets for SRF are wide and varied. We remain very confident in our commitment for the long term to the creation of fuel for industry from MSW and indeed from our industrial and commercial waste streams,” she added.