Plans are well advanced for an innovative new Irvine plant which will power up homes and initially create more than 200 jobs.
And North Ayrshire cabinet member Tony Gurney welcomed the development of the Oldhall Energy Recovery Facility (ERF).
The plant is owned and developed by Doveryard Limited and brings together substantial expertise in the design, funding, construction and operation of renewable energy assets across the UK.
The Oldhall ERF is being built by EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contractor, STC Power Srl, a leader in the delivery of traditional and renewables-fuelled power plants worldwide.
Construction work started in May 2022, and the plant is expected to be operational in 2025.
Once the Oldhall ERF is built, STC Power Srl will operate and maintain the facility.
It is anticipated that the peak workforce during construction will be up to 200 and, for the operational phase, around 28 new permanent local jobs will be created.
Oldhall ERF will turn residual residential, commercial and industrial waste into energy - generating up to 17 MW of electricity - enough to power around 30,000 homes.
Councillor Gurney said: “I’m delighted to see the creation of new jobs and a significant investment into North Ayrshire and look forward to seeing work progress on this new facility.
“Once fully up and running, the new Energy Recovery Facility will create approximately 30 full time jobs and can process up to 180,000 tonnes of post-recycled waste – which would otherwise go to landfill – and transform this into much-needed low carbon electricity.
“The new development was approved by the council’s planning committee in 2020 and was subject to detailed consultation with SEPA, who have the responsibility for regulating all pollution control measures, including air quality, at facilities of this kind. Great care has been taken throughout the process to examine any environmental impact and we hope that it will provide clear benefits once operational.”
Once operational the facility will:
- Generate at least 17 MW of energy, enough to power the equivalent of over 30,000 homes, more than the residential population of Irvine.
- Provide around 28 new full-time jobs.
- Create opportunities for a wide range of local suppliers and supply chain companies.
- Divert around 180,000 tonnes per year of residual waste which would otherwise go to landfill or be exported to Europe for treatment.
- Make use of waste from the adjoining Lowmac Alloys recycling centre, and their other facilities in the area, significantly reducing existing road miles. Waste will also come from elsewhere in the region.
- Have the potential to supply nearby commercial and industrial users with the surplus heat generated.
- Residues from the combustion process (known as Incinerator Bottom Ash) can also be used to produce secondary aggregates in the production of concrete products.
- Be regulated by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) by way of an Environmental Permit, which will be issued only once SEPA is satisfied that the facility can meet these obligations.
- Contribute to Scotland’s and the UK’s drive to reduce CO2 emissions arising from electricity generation and decarbonise the UK economy.
- Utilise a site that has previously been consented for energy recovery.
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