Energy from Waste technology creates electricity and heat from our waste after recycling has taken place. The process is carefully controlled and it is a cleaner and safer way of treating waste which cannot economically or practically be recycled. The facility will reduce waste by up to 100% creating electricity, heat and aggregates from the combustion ash.
How the energy from waste process works
- In a modern energy recovery plant, solid waste is transported to the facility by enclosed HGV and refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) once all recycling has taken place. It is then stored in a bunker inside the building.
- The building is kept at negative pressure to prevent odours from escaping outdoors.
- Waste from the bunker is put into a fuel hopper by a crane and transferred onto a moving grate where the waste is treated at very high temperatures to prevent any harmful substances from forming.
- A fully integrated control system ensures stable and efficient operation.
- Hot air created from the combustion process passes through a boiler, converting water into high pressure steam. This steam drives a highly efficient turbine to produce electricity.
- The electricity generated is exported to the local electricity distribution system to be used by homes and businesses.
- In addition, subject to a suitable local off-taker, some of the steam created by the process could be used by nearby businesses or homes in a district heating system.
- Any odours from the waste are burnt off and all gases from the process are cleaned and treated by a combination of filters and scrubbers before being released into the atmosphere.
- All emissions from the process are continuously monitored and – where required – treated to meet strict air quality standards as set out within the site’s environmental permit.
- By-products such as ash and metals will be reused and recycled.
- Control room staff will monitor and manage the whole process to ensure the facility is operated in a safe, efficient and compliant way.
The CHER facility will be regulated by the Environment Agency, which has issued an environmental permit. The permit covers design, air quality, ground water, surface water and measures to ensure safe management of waste.