Smaller is better: why localised, small scale EfW plants are the way forward

Recently, plans for a 330,000 tonnes per year Energy from Waste (EfW) plant in Hampshire were rejected just a week after a report was filed by the council recommending planning permission be granted.

An admittedly disappointing setback for the firm(s) involved - which seemed to mainly come down to opposition from the local community around emissions as well as the size and consequent visual intrusion of the plant on the local landscape - this isn’t the only marker we’re seeing to indicate a significant shift in the renewable energy and Energy from Waste industry(ies).

Moving away from PFI contracts

Surrey County Council, for example, are reportedly taking a disaggregated approach to the procurement of a new waste disposal contract, beginning in 2024 which, it’s speculated, could see the beginning of the end of long term (25 year) contracts from Local Authorities; rather preferring to separate contracts into shorter lots whilst giving Local Authorities more flexibility as well as the opportunity to explore alternatives.

However, long term (PFI) contracts, which came into prominence in the early 2000s and are now coming to their natural end, were brought in to make capital investment sensible and provide investors with long term revenue - incentivising their investments.

The benefits of localised EfW plants

Here in the UK, smaller scale, localised EfW plants - up to and including a capacity of 100,000 tonnes per year - are gaining more and more traction within the sector - why?

Landfills are becoming an increasingly less viable solution to UK waste disposal for multiple reasons, including but not limited to:

• Their significant contribution to climate change - landfills emitting 14 million metric tonnes of CO2 per year

• The lack of landfill space - said to run out by 2035

• The increase in landfill tax and other associated costs to recycling facilities when disposing of their residual waste

• The increased exportation of residual waste to other countries

Which is pushing attention and urgency onto the need for more sustainable forms of waste disposal, treatment and recycling.

Queue the demand for localised Energy from Waste plants.

Reportedly, as of December 2020, there were 54 fully operational EfW plants in the UK; a 45% increase in operational plants from 2016, showing the rising demand for these facilities across the county, with at least another 17 reported to be in commission and construction in various locations across the UK as of May 2021.

What’s more, Energy from Waste plants contributed 2.5% of the total net UK generation of power to the grid in 2020.

But, decentralising the waste treatment infrastructure has other significant, long lasting benefits on UK waste disposal as well as local communities, providing low carbon energy to local households, businesses & industries whilst -

• Reducing costs

• Reducing traffic

• Reducing emissions from long distance travel

• Creating local jobs

• Boosting the local economy

• Treating non-recyclable waste at a local level

What’s more, circling back to the unfortunate rejection of the EfW plant in Hampshire, smaller plants are far less imposing on the local area; both in footprint and in stature - making them far more likely to make it through planning without significant or widespread opposition.

In conclusion: constructed to serve local communities

Essentially, building smaller Energy from Waste plants constructed to serve local communities is the way forward.

This is not only because they release less emissions and are less intrusive on the local landscape - therefore making them more likely to make it through planning without significant objection - but also because they support the wider national and global fight against climate change in multiple direct & indirect ways.

Small, localised EfW plants provide alternatives to landfill and other, less environmentally conscious, forms of waste treatment & disposal; positively contributing significantly to the communities within which they are built - creating local jobs, boosting local economies and providing low carbon waste treatment solutions.