Wheelabrator partners with Verus and Low Carbon for new UK waste to energy plant
April 17, 2020The plan is to construct a 350,000 tonne per year facility that will power thousands of homes.
Wheelabrator Technologies has inked a new waste to energy plant deal, partnering with Verus Energy Limited and Low Carbon Limited. The partnership among the companies is for the development of a 395,000 tonne per year facility which will be located in West Bromwich in the United Kingdom.
Wheelabrator said the Kelvin Energy Recovery Facility deal should close financially by the end of 2020.
Once the deal has achieved its financial closure, Wheelabrator Technologies will be the owner and operator of the waste to energy plant. Construction is slated to begin near the start of 2021. The new facility – which received its planning consent last September – will redirect 395,000 tonnes of non-recyclable business and household waste from expert or landfill.
Instead, it will be used for the generation of a gross 49.9 MW of renewable baseload power (44 MW net) per year. This amount of power is enough to meet the electricity requirements of about 70,000 homes in the United Kingdom.
The facility’s intended location is on a site currently owned by Giffords Property. Its location is strategic for the treatment of recyclable waste from a catchment area. That spot was already predicted to have a capacity shortfall of more than 2 million tonnes per year.
The waste to energy plant will help to overcome the location’s existing and ongoing capacity challenges.
“Providing an essential service such as the safe and reliable treatment of non-recyclable waste is even more critical during a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic and we are committed to continuing operations throughout the pandemic to support the health and well-being of our communities, employees and partners,” said Julia Watsford, UK managing director for Wheelabrator Technologies.
Watsford went on to say that they are currently and will continue to take all necessary precautions for customer, community and employee protection where they operate.
The company also pointed out that the Kelvin Energy Recovery Facility will help to enhance the country’s waste to energy plant infrastructure at a time in which it is increasingly vital.