New Earth Solutions Avonmouth Facility
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New Earth Solutions Avonmouth Facility New Earth Solutions was formed in 2002. Its core business is the diversion of waste away from landfill and the recovery of value from the waste stream. New Earth has developed a sustainable waste management facility within Avonmouth, comprising of a Mechanical and Biological Treatment plant and a Low Carbon Energy Facility. The Mechanical and Biological Treatment plant has been operational since April 2011 and services a residual black bin waste contract with the West of England Partnership. The Mechanical and Biological Treatment plant can process up to 250,000 tonnes of waste per year. The Mechanical and Biological Treatment process separates the waste into different components. The recyclable plastics and metals are recovered for recycling. The smaller organic fraction is also separated and treated in order to produce a Compost Like Output for use in land restoration. The remaining element of the waste comprises material that cannot readily be recycled or composted within the available timeframe. It is processed to form a Refuse Derived Fuel for use in energy generation displacing the need for conventional fossil fuels. www.newearthsolutions.co.uk/avonmouth
New Earth Solutions
Avonmouth Facility
Prior to the development of New Earth’s first Low Carbon
Energy Facility all of the Refuse Derived Fuel produced
at the Mechanical and Biological Treatment plant was
exported to continental Europe. Now that the Low Carbon
Energy Facility is operational, up to 120,000 tonnes of
Refuse Derived Fuel per year is used onsite to generate
renewable and low carbon energy. The facility is capable
of generating up to 13MW of electricity, and has been
exporting electricity to the local distribution grid, for use by
local homes and businesses since May 2013.
New Earth’s proposed second Low Carbon Energy Facility would reduce
the need to export locally produced Refused Derived Fuel and ensure the
benefits are captured locally for the people of Bristol.
www.newearthsolutions.co.uk/avonmouth
Renewable and
Low-Carbon Energy
The UK is bound by the Climate Change Act, which became law in 2008
and commits the UK to achieve at least an 80% reduction in greenhouse
gas emissions by 2050, compared to 1990 levels. As a result specific
objectives to significantly increase the production of energy from renewable
and low carbon sources have been established.
Renewable energy covers those energy flows that occur naturally and
repeatedly in the environment – from the wind, the fall of water, the
movement of the oceans, from the sun and also from biomass. Energy
recovered from biomass material present in the waste stream is therefore
classified as ‘renewable’.
Low carbon energy technologies are those that can help reduce greenhouse
gas emissions (compared to conventional use of primary fossil fuels) and
include processes that recover energy from waste that would otherwise
be disposed of.
Over 50% of the Refuse Derived Fuel will be made up of biomass materials,
meaning that over 50% of the energy produced would qualify as renewable
energy. The renewable energy generated by the proposed second Low
Carbon Energy Facility would generate electricity and heat 24/7, which
would complement more intermittent forms of renewable energy such as
wind and tidal.
The proposed Second Low Carbon Energy Facility, would provide energy
to the local distribution grid, providing Bristol and the sub-region with
greater energy resilience reducing the dependency on national energy
generation capacity.
The Government has established an initiative that allows the host Local
Authority to keep a larger proportion of business rates associated with the
generation of renewable energy. This will provide a new income stream
to Local Authorities during a period of prolonged Public Sector spending
cuts.
New Earth’s proposed second Low Carbon Energy Facility would
enhance local energy resilience through the production of decentralised
renewable and low carbon energy, whilst reducing the reliance on
fossil-fuel based energy generation.
www.newearthsolutions.co.uk/avonmouth
Refuse Derived Fuel
and Transport
Refuse Derived Fuel produced within
Avonmouth, Bristol and the wider West of
England sub-region is currently exported
to continental Europe, where it is used to
generate electricity and heat. The Refuse
Derived Fuel is exported via the road
network and Port of Bristol.
New Earth’s proposed second Low Carbon Energy Facility would lead to
a negligible increase in HGV movements above those already happening
within Avonmouth.
www.newearthsolutions.co.uk/avonmouth
The Proposed
Development
New Earth is preparing a planning application for the development of a
second Low Carbon Energy Facility adjacent to our existing sustainable
waste management operations, located at the heart of Avonmouth at
Access 18, so that more of the Refuse Derived Fuel can be used on site.
The key features of the development proposal include:
a standard industrial style building, with a footprint of approximately 9,000
square metres.
the processing of the remaining Refuse Derived Fuel that is currently
exported from New Earth’s adjacent Mechanical and Biological Treatment
plant, as well as a proportion of Refuse Derived Fuel produced by third
parties within Bristol and the surrounding sub-region.
the utilisation of New Earth’s patented modular pyrolysis and gasification
technology, known as ‘NEAT’, providing benefits over and above that of
more conventional technologies
the generation of up to 13MWe of renewable and low carbon electricity
(sufficient to power up to approximately 28,100 homes), as well as heat
which is reused in the process.
the development of a contaminated brownfield site that is allocated for
waste management uses within the Development Plan
New Earth’s proposed second Low Carbon Energy Facility would represent
further significant investment in the area leading to job creation, during
the construction and operational phases, and the redevelopment of a
contaminated brownfield site.
www.newearthsolutions.co.uk/avonmouth
What will the
facility look like?
The design of the proposed facility has been
informed by operational requirements.
The facility would consist of an
industrial style building in terms of scale
and appearance, which would reinforce
and enhance the character of the Avonmouth and
Severnside industrial area.
The external areas would be hard surfaced and
house external plant. Landscaping in the form of
tree planting and a flood storage pond would be
provided along Boundary Road.
New Earth’s proposed second Low Carbon Energy Facility can be housed
within an industrial building which would complement and enhance the
Avonmouth and Severnside industrial area.
www.newearthsolutions.co.uk/avonmouth
The Technology
and Process
The proposed second Low Carbon Energy Facility would use pyrolysis and
gasification processes to convert Refuse Derived Fuel into a syngas, which
would in turn be used to generate energy. Pyrolysis and gasification processes
aren’t new – they have been used to manufacture charcoal for decades and
are utilised in many modern industrial processes. Their application to waste
management is however more recent.
The Proposed Process Flow
New Earth has developed its own patented technology known as NEAT. This is
the same technology that is employed within New Earth’s existing operational
Low Carbon Energy Facility in Avonmouth.
Pyrolysis involves heating the Refuse Derived Fuel to a very high temperature
in the absence of oxygen, which causes it to break down into a pyrogas and a
solid carbon char. The pyrogas and char are then fed into a gasification chamber,
where it is injected with a high pressure steam containing a limited amount of
oxygen. This breaks down the char into a syngas and a non-hazardous ash.
The gas passes through a cyclone filter to remove suspended solids before
being fed into a combustor where the addition of air triggers combustion. The
heat generated is used within a boiler system to raise steam, which is then
passed through a turbine to generate electricity.
The combustion gases are passed through a clean-up system prior to being
emitted to the atmosphere via a 36m high stack.
The proposed facility would require an Environmental Permit to operate. The
permit will set stringent emission limits and be regulated by the Environment
Agency.
New Earth’s patented NEAT technology is modular which provides
adaptability to future changes in waste arisings and waste composition.
www.newearthsolutions.co.uk/avonmouth
Technical Assessments New Earth has listened carefully to the issues that matter most to the local community. We understand these key issues to be HGV movements and the effect of the proposed development on air quality. The transport and air quality subjects, together with other environmental issues will be subject to Technical Assessments which will be incorporated into an Environmental Statement that will accompany the submission of the planning application. The findings of the Technical Assessments, together with the outcome of the community engagement, will help to shape the final proposal. Transportation: The development proposal would lead to an additional 12 HVG deliveries per day over and above those associated with New Earth’s existing operations. The visits would occur between the hours of 07:00 to 22:00 which equates to no more than one additional HGV delivery per hour. It is worth highlighting that this movement of Refused Derived Fuel is in any event likely to already be taking place within Avonmouth, so the reality is simply a different destination rather than necessarily more HGV’s on the road. All HGV traffic would access the site via the A403 St. Andrew’s Road. This in turn provides direct access to the M5, M4, M49 motorways, and A4 Portway, providing excellent transport links to Bristol and the surrounding sub-region. Air Quality: An Air Quality Assessment is being undertaken to consider the effect of emissions from the operation of the proposed facility, as well as vehicle emissions during construction and operation and dust emissions during construction. The Air Quality Assessment will consider the air quality effects on sensitive receptors and habitats. Due to the site’s location and surrounding land uses, consideration will also be given to the cumulative effects of the proposed development in combination with other committed development schemes. Other key issues which will be addressed as part of the planning application include: Noise; Drainage and food risk; Ecololgy; Landscaping and cultural heritage. www.newearthsolutions.co.uk/avonmouth
Key Benefits
The proposed second Low Carbon Energy Facility would:
ensure that the Refuse Derived Fuel, produced at New Earth’s Avonmouth
Mechanical and Biological Treatment plant, is put to beneficial uses
within Bristol as opposed to being exported to continental Europe;
generate 13MW of renewable and low carbon electricity, which is
sufficient to power up to 28,100 homes within Bristol1;
only lead to a negligible increase in HGV traffic movements within
Avonmouth;
represent further significant investment in the area leading to job
creation, offering both direct and indirect employment through
construction, plant fabrication and plant operation and maintenance;
secure the redevelopment of a contaminated brownfield site, which is
allocated for waste management uses within the Development Plan;
be similar in scale and appearance to standard industrial developments
within the Avonmouth and Severnside industrial area;
be adaptable to meet future changes in waste arisings and waste
composition, as a result of the modular nature of the proposed ‘NEAT’
technology;
generate electricity and heat 24/7, complementing more intermittent
forms of renewable energy such as wind and tidal;
reduce the UK’s reliance on fossil-fuel based energy generation reducing
greenhouse gas emissions and providing greater energy security within
Bristol and the surrounding sub-region;
generate heat which is re-used in the process, as well as providing
excess heat which has the potential to be exported for use by neighbouring
occupiers where viable and feasible;
allow retention of a higher proportion of business rates by Bristol City
Council during a period of prolonged public sector spending cuts.
1
Based on an average electricity consumption per house hold of 3,697.8 kWh (year 2012). Source:
DECC sub-national energy statistics – ‘Average consumption per meter in the domestic sector for
electricity in Bristol, City of’.
www.newearthsolutions.co.uk/avonmouth
Next Steps
The public exhibitions provide you with an opportunity to shape our proposals.
Your views will influence the content and format of the planning application.
Members of the New Earth team will be on hand at the local exhibitions to answer You can make your comments on
your questions about the proposals. The two exhibitions are being held at:
our proposals by completing the
Community Engagement Feedback
Form.
You can also make your comments to
us by contacting:
Thomas Southgate
Planner
New Earth Solutions Group Limited
Key House
35 Black Moor Road
Ebblake Industrial Estate
Verwood
Dorset
Wednesday 21st May 2014: Saturday 24th May: BH31 6AT
Avonmouth Community Centre New Earth Solutions’ Low Carbon Energy Facility
257 Avonmouth Road Access 18, Zinc Road
Avonmouth Village Kings Weston Lane
Or contact us by email:
Bristol Avonmouth info@newearthgroup.co.uk
BS11 9EN Bristol BS11 8AZ
2.00pm - 8.00pm 10.30am - 2.30pm
You can also find out information about the proposals on our website dedicated
to this project:
www.newearthsolutions.co.uk/avonmouth
What happens next?
The next stage will be the formulation of a final proposal, taking into account the
findings of the Technical Assessments and feedback from you.
We will then finalise the planning application, which we are anticipating
submitting to Bristol City Council at the end of June 2014. Once the application
is submitted we can provide copies to interested parties for further comment
and a link will be provided on our website.
Bristol City Council will be responsible for determining the planning application,
and will undertake a formal public consultation following registration of the
planning application.
A decision regarding determination of the application is anticipated during
October 2014.
We thank you for attending this exhibition event. If you have any
questions please do not hesitate to ask one of the New Earth team.
www.newearthsolutions.co.uk/avonmouthYou can also read
