Developers unveil plans for £200m waste-to-energy facility

Doncaster, UK -  Plans have been revealed for a £200-million energy-from-waste plant in Doncaster that, claims its developers, will “revolutionise the way that we process waste in the UK”. The Doncaster Energy from Waste (DEW) project is a partnership between regional regeneration firm and land owner Waystone Ltd, an energy-from-waste company AvVail Ltd and a major energy company.

The developers aim to submit the first phase planning application at the end of March and, subject to gaining consent, hopes to start construction in late 2009 so that the facility can be ready for commercial operation by late 2011. Discussions, they said, are also underway with leading power and gas company E.ON regarding the project’s sustainable energy generation potential. The partners plan to deliver the project adjacent to the working colliery in the Stainforth, Hatfield and Dunscroft area.

According to the companies, the operation will combine established technologies from around the world to deliver the first ever facility of its kind that can collectively process waste, improve recycling output and also deliver over 30MW of the most sustainable energy. It will provide almost 100% diversion from landfill and can take segregated and non segregated waste from households and commercial operations, so that kerbside collected material will be properly recycled.

The technology incorporates a sorting process whereby all potential recyclable materials, such as glass, plastics and metals, can be treated and fed into an adjacent facility that will transform them into marketable products.  It is able to generate the highest possible output of recycled material including waste that, until now, has been very difficult to process, such as bottles with corks in them and shredded paper.

The DEW project also includes a series of processes that makes use of the non recyclable waste. After a steam treatment of this waste, the recovery process produces a fibre that is used in boilers to produce green energy, which is then fed into the National Grid to make the Doncaster area a green energy zone. Because of the high purity level of the fibre (over 90%) and the steam recovery, the process qualifies for carbon credits given by the government for only the highest environmentally friendly and energy efficient processes.

“After years of research and close University-Industry co-operation, we are delighted to bring this project to Doncaster,” said Professor Markus Vinzent, director of AvVail. “When the plant is operational we expect to employ approximately 220 people with jobs ranging from management to semi skilled. We have also pledged to donate a percentage of funds generated from the plant into a ’Community Fund’ that is used to support local services, plant over a quarter of a million trees and provide a thriving place to live, work and play.”

Stuart McLoughlin, managing director for Waystone Ltd that owns the site where the facility is proposed,Adds: “The DEW Project will be the catalyst for much broader regeneration for the wider area and opens up some exciting prospects. We are already planning a new Power Park on the adjacent site and have recently secured planning permission to build a new link road connecting it directly to the M18. The DEW Project will also greatly assist with our proposed 500 berth off-line marina on the Stainforth and Keadby Canal which received public support some time ago.²