Waste Facility Set to Add 18MWe of Green Energy to the Grid

The Drakelow Energy From Waste plant is set to deliver 18MWe of low-carbon electricity, divert 169,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste from landfill each year.

Vital Energi have just signed a major contract to develop a new energy from waste facility near Burton Upon Trent that is set to contribute to greening the grid by generating 18MWe of electricity from non-recyclable Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF).

The Drakelow Energy from Waste plant has been designed by the Vital Energi team and will be built, owned and operated by the Vital Energi Group. In addition to generating 18MWe of low-carbon electricity, the facility will also make a valuable contribution to diverting waste from landfill with the capability of processing 169,000 tonnes of non-recyclable Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) each year.

Vital Energi is investing its own technical and financial resources into this facility with the balance of the investment being provided from external funding sources.

The UK faces many environmental challenges and this facility is an exciting opportunity to reduce carbon emissions and divert waste from landfill. We are extremely excited to be delivering and operating this facility, which will make a positive contribution to the UK’s low-carbon infrastructure. We have worked with a team of industry experts in the Energy from Waste (EfW) sector to bring this project to market and we would like to thank them for their contributions to deliver a major project that will contribute to the UK’s low carbon infrastructure.

Ashley Malin, Project Development Director - Vital Energi

The RDF is combusted, and the syngas produced during this process is then consumed by the boiler to create steam which then drives the 18MWe steam turbine which generates electricity.  An additional benefit of the project is that Vital Energi have designed the facility so that the heat generated can be used to provide heat and hot water for nearby developments should demand arise.

The new energy from waste facility is scheduled to be completed by 2023 and Vital Energi will have a 30-year concession to operate the facility.