ETI seeks energy-from-waste demonstrator plant partners

The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) is seeking partners for a new £13m project to help design and build a next-generation energy-from-waste demonstrator plant.

The aim of the project, which is part of ETI’s Bio Energy programme, is to commercially demonstrate the ability of how such a plant can create energy from waste and produce energy at efficiencies higher than previously produced.

In a statement, ETI said it is hoped the plant could be designed by 2014 and operational by 2016.

Dr David Clarke, chief executive of ETI, said: ‘We have already completed an extensive analysis of the existing energy-from-waste technologies, as well as the breakdown of typical UK municipal, commercial and industrial waste.

‘From this research, we believe that improved technology for the integrated gasification of waste together with gas clean-up and subsequent combustion of this cleaned gas in either a gas reciprocating engine or turbine would provide an effective and efficient solution.

‘Our modelling indicates that such a plant design could operate at a net efficiency of 25 per cent, which significantly exceeds the performance of current plants in operation.’

The ETI has today issued a request for proposals for interested parties. The deadline for notification of intention to submit a proposal is 7 June, with 2 July the closing date for submissions.