Waste to Energy Plant : Arup is to Provides Infrastructure and Design Wheelabrator’s Kemsley Waste to Energy Plant
London based engineering and architecture firm Arup has discussed its contribution to Wheelabrator Technologies UK’s new combined heat and power waste to energy facility, Wheelabrator Kemsley (K3) which entered full commercial operation in July 2020.
Located in Kent, the waste to energy facility processes non-recyclable materials to generate energy, heat and steam for local businesses and the National Grid.
The Wheelabrator Kemsley combined heat and power facility will process up to 657,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste per year, including treated municipal, commercial and industrial waste, and generate up to 74MW of partially renewable electricity for the South East, following a Development Consent Order (DCO) approval which is expected in February.
The facility also provides up to 70 tonnes per hour of steam heat to DS Smith’s adjacent Kemsley Paper Mill helping to diversify the mill’s long-term energy requirements.
The Arup team, led by Ben Glover as lead building designer, worked in collaboration with the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Contractor, CNIM Group, and UMC Architects. Arup provided infrastructure and building design services, including civil, structural, geotechnical and building services engineering.
According to the company, by understanding the client’s logistical objectives, drawing on deep experience and deploying an effective collaborative strategy, it was able to turn the piling design around within six weeks of the contract start date.
This ensured that the client’s programme was met. Arup directly supported the main EPC contractor with the provision of consultancy and additional design services to ensure that the project reached a successful conclusion.
Ben Glover, Associate Director at Arup, said: “It’s clear that, as a society, we need to find more sustainable modes of operating. Wheelabator Kemsley represents exactly this, exemplifying how creative engineering can offer solutions to the ecological issues of our time, so we’re incredibly proud to have been a part of this project. The facility is demonstrative of Arup’s aim to put social purpose at the centre of all our work and it’s great to see it up and running.”
Tom Jeral, Technical and Engineering Development at Wheelabrator Technologies, said: “The Wheelabrator Kemsley combined heat and power facility provides significant local and county wide benefits, including the creation of over 40 new, full time operational roles, multiple supply chain opportunities and economic benefits for the local economy. We look forward to continuing to develop, deliver, construct, commission and operate the critical infrastructure required to provide the safe disposal of non-recyclable waste in the South East”.
Wheelabrator Technologies is expected to commence construction on Wheelabrator Kemsley North, a 350,000 tonne per annum waste to energy facility co-located on the DS Smith site in the second half of 2021.
