24 MW Viridor Ardley Waste to Energy Facility Granted Acceptance Certificate
An ‘Acceptance Certificate’ for waste and recycling firm, Viridor’s, £200 million waste to energy facility in Ardley, Oxfordshire has been issued, marking the end of the EPC contract and completion of the construction phase of the facility. In June 2014 the plant began to receive the first waste deliveries and first burn was achieved soon after. One month later it was exporting of electricity to the National Grid. Viridor explained that the 24 MW Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) near Bicester is now fully operational under its management. Construction of the waste to energy facility began in November 2011. According to Viridor, to date, the man-hours on the project totals over 2.3 million and at its peak, the construction employed over 550 people from a wide variety of trades, working together in partnership to install the technology. The company added that the project was completed with just two ‘lost time’ accidents. “On a project that is more than twice the size of two Premier football pitches,” explained Paul Rowland, regional manager for Viridor. “It requires a phenomenal effort on everyone’s behalf to make sure that we operate safely and efficiently.” “Time spent without lost time accidents has enabled us to put £18,000 back into the local community through donations to charitable projects and schools,” he continued. “All of this has only been possible with everyone working together in partnership.” Councillor David Nimmo Smith, cabinet member for Strategic Growth and Environment at Oxfordshire County Council commented: “Oxfordshire is the best county council in the country at recycling and composting and this new facility will generate electricity from the waste that is not recycled.” “Diverting waste away from landfill will significantly reduce the amount of methane gas released to our environment,” he concluded. Viridor said that the waste to energy facility will process 300,000 tonnes of residual waste each year, diverting around 95% of its inputs away from landfill disposal which will deliver significant environmental, social and economic benefits for local taxpayers Quick construction facts for Ardley ERF: The total project area covers eleven hectares, comprising of buildings, hardstandings, lagoons and landscaped grounds 260 km of electric cabling within the building plus a further 9km of cabling to connect the ERF to the National Grid Over 2.5 km of telephone fibre connections Over 16,500 m3 of concrete and 11,700 m2 blacktop used Over 1800 tonnes of steelwork Over 1.6 km of drainage materials Over 14,700 m2 of cladding for the roof. Read More Viridor's 24 MW Ardley Waste to Energy Plant Receives First Waste The first delivery of residual household waste has arrived Viridor's 24 MW Ardley waste to energy facility near Bicester, Oxfordshire. Loud Steam Blows Halt Commissioning Viridor's Exeter Waste to Energy Plant Viridor has suspended the steam blowing process in the commissioning of its 60,000 tonne per year Exeter waste to energy facility following concerns expressed by some residents. Go-Ahead to Use Heat from SITA Waste to Energy Plant to Grow Tomatoes in Suffolk SITA UK and Sterling Suffolk have been given the go-ahead for a greenhouse project that will utilize heat from the Great Blakenham waste to energy plant to grow tomatoes.