Plans to develop a new 50 MW energy-from-waste plant have been revealed by renewable energy investment company Low Carbon.
The Kelvin Energy Recovery facility is to be built in West Bromwich and will be developed by a consortium of companies including Low Carbon, Verus Energy and Wheelabrator Technologies, which will own and operate the plant once the deal is closed at the end of this year.
The plant will divert 395,000 tonnes of household and business waste from landfill or export and instead use it to generate up to 49.9MW (gross) of renewable energy – equivalent to the needs of around 70,000 UK homes.
With construction due to begin in 2021, the facility will have a catchment area that includes Greater Birmingham and will help deal with a projected waste capacity shortfall of 2 million tonnes a year.
Low Carbon’s investment director, Dominic Noel-Johnson, said: “This announcement marks another significant milestone in the story of this project and we’re delighted to now be working together towards financial close. This facility will harness non-recyclable waste as a sustainable energy resource, creating local jobs and local energy supply for the West Midlands region.
“This is one of the many exciting projects Low Carbon have in their advanced pipeline for 2020 and we look forward to expanding our renewable energy at scale in the UK and internationally.”
Low Carbon added that it has an advanced renewable pipeline of 3GW across the UK and Europe.
Wheelabrator Technologies UK managing director, Julia Watsford, said: “We’re excited to be joining this project and look forward to working with our partners and building upon Wheelabrator’s proven track record to address the UK’s ongoing capacity shortfall in residual waste management infrastructure.”
Watsford also said that Wheelabrator was committed to continuing its operations throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are and will continue to take all necessary steps to protect our employees, our customers and the communities in which we operate”, she added.
Tim Jervis, director at Verus Energy, said: “The facility will provide the area with a state-of-the-art waste management facility with a significantly lower environmental impact than either landfilling or transporting waste to distant alternative disposal sites. We’re looking forward to seeing it progress.”