65 MW Waste to Energy Facility Gets Thumbs Up from IFC

17 October 2011 The Infrastructure Planning Commission (IFC) has made the decision to give consent to the 65 MW Covanta Rookery South waste to energy development located at Rookery South Pit, near Stewartby, Bedfordshire, and proposes to make an order. The Covanta Energy's Rookery South Resource Recovery Facility (RRF) will treat approximately 585,000 tonnes of residual waste per year. The company claims that the facility will generate 65MWe of electricity, of which 55 MWe will be exported to the national grid, with opportunities to supply surplus heat to nearby developments such as NIRAH and The Wixams. According to the UK's National Centre for Biorenewable Energy, Fuels and Materials, the decision, made within the statutory three month period laid down in the Planning Act 2008, is the first to be issued by the IPC and follows a six month examination of the application by a panel of three Commissioners. The decision was taken by a Panel of three Commissioners appointed to examine the application. The decision, and all the written evidence considered by the Commissioners, can be viewed on the IPC website, which also has recordings of all the oral hearings held. In this case the development consent order is made in the form of a statutory instrument, and it needs to go through Parliamentary processes before the order comes into effect. Sir Michael Pitt, Chair of the IPC explains: "The role of the IPC is to examine applications for nationally significant infrastructure projects, and to make decisions or recommendations on whether development consent should be granted." Charles Hendry, Minister of State for the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) comments on the decision: "I am very pleased that the IPC's first decision has been delivered on time. A new energy from waste plant at Rookery South is an important development for energy security and for the environmental recovery of waste that would otherwise have gone to landfill." "I am very pleased that the IPC's first decision has been delivered on time. A new energy from waste plant at Rookery South is an important development for energy security and for the environmental recovery of waste that would otherwise have gone to landfill." Read More Controversial Waste to Energy Facility Receives Planning Consent in Worcestershire Mercia Waste Management's plan for a controversial 200,000 tonne Waste to Energy facility has been approved by Worcestershire Council. Waste Review: Industry Perspectives and Comments The Institution of Civil Engineers expressed disappointment that the government has ruled out more energy from waste projects being fast-tracked through the Infrastructure Planning Commission Public Perception and Bureaucracy Slowing Gasification Uptake in UK Public perception of waste to energy facilities and confusion with incineration has been a major barrier to commercial uptake of gasification facilities being developed in the UK. Free Magazine Subscription Free Email Newsletter