Constructed near Billingham, Tees Valley One (TV1) will treat pre-processed municipal, commercial and industrial waste supplied by Impetus Waste Management, diverting it from the waste firm’s nearby landfill site.
Dubbed the “largest gasification plant in the world”, the facility will use plasma gasification technology provided by Canada-based specialist Alter NRG to convert materials into energy for the National Grid. It is expected to generate enough electricity to power 50,000 homes.
The plant, which gained planning permission from Stockton-on-Tees borough council in 2011, cost an estimated $500 million (£320 million) and has been funded almost entirely by US-based Air Products – with a £260,000 grant also awarded by One North East in 2010.
The plant had originally been due to enter commercial operations by mid-2014. It will provide 50 full time jobs when it comes fully online later this year.
Impetus
Impetus has been contracted to supply all 350,000 tonnes of feedstock to the plant. The municipal waste stream for the facility will largely derive from Impetus’ 10-year contract with Hull city council.
The firm, which was awarded the contract in June 2014, began the residual waste treatment contract in April this year as part of a combined procurement between Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire (see letsrecycle.com story).
Meanwhile, a second Air Products gasification plant is on schedule to start commercial operations in 2016, and will be located adjacent to the TV1 site.
The Tees Valley Two (TV2) facility secured planning permission from Stockton-on-Tees council in 2013, with an official ground breaking ceremony held in April last year (see letsrecycle.com story).
Energy
The second facility will have the capacity to treat an additional 350,000 tonnes of pre-processed waste, which will also be supplied by Impetus. The plant is contracted to provide power on behalf of the government’s Energy for Growth programme over a 20-year fixed period.
A spokesperson for Air Products said: “Air Products has successfully completed commissioning with Tees Valley 1 (TV1) and it is well into its start-up phase. It is expected to enter commercial operation later this year. Air Products has a waste agreement with Impetus Waste Management to supply non-recyclable municipal, commercial and industrial feedstock waste.”
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