The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) has today announced it is seeking partners for a new £13 million project to help design and build a next generation energy from waste demonstrator plant to convert typical wastes into electricity and heat.
The ETI is focused on the acceleration of the development of clean and secure technologies that will help the UK meet its legally binding 2050 climate change targets. It is looking for businesses to tender for participation in the design and development of the plant.
The aim of the project 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. It is hoped the plant could be designed by 2014 and operational by 2016.
The ETI has today issued a Request for Proposals for interested parties. The deadline for notification of intention to submit a proposal is Thursday 7th June with the closing date for submissions Monday 2nd July.
Commenting on the project, Dr David Clarke, Chief Executive of the ETI said: "Bio Energy should be a key component of any future energy systems mix to meet the demands of providing affordable, clean and secure energy. 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%, which significantly exceeds the performance of current plants in operation.
"Successful design of such a plant also provides an opportunity to move away from the inefficiency and reducing availability of landfill sites. This waste could contribute up to four per cent of UK energy by 2050."
