Energy from waste project up for award
Dudley Council’s work to maximise energy from waste and potentially save millions of pounds is up for a national award.
The local authority recently agreed a new energy from waste contract, which will give it greater flexibility in shaping its energy, heat and waste strategy.
The council appointed Urbaser Environmental Ltd to manage the day-to-day running of its Lister Road energy from waste plant, where it disposes its household and trade waste.
As part of the new contract, the council will benefit from being able to sell the energy back to the national grid, which has the potential to generate substantial income for the council.
This, combined with a lower processing fee per tonne of household waste, is expected to save the council approximately £2million a year.
The council hopes that in the future the electricity created through the plant could also be used to power its electric vehicles and council buildings.
This new approach has been shortlisted in the environmental services category at this year’s LGC awards.
Councillor Rob Clinton, cabinet member for waste management and climate change, said:
We’re proud of the innovative approach we’re taking to maximise the benefits of our energy from waste plant.
Under this new working arrangement, we can make significant savings in the short term with the potential to generate substantial income for the council.
We now have full control of the energy created as a by-product of our waste process at our Lister Road depot and we will be able to sell this back to the national grid.
We also hope to use the energy we create to power our vehicles and buildings in the future.
The whole team is delighted that this work has been shortlisted for a LGC award.
The winners of the LGC awards will be announced on Thursday June 8.
The council’s energy from waste facility has been operational since 1998 and continues to provide a waste treatment solution on behalf all residents within the borough as well as a number of commercial customers.