UK Energy-From-Waste Heat and Power Network Planned

By Anne Lewis-Schneider

London’s First Heat and Power Combination Plan

The South East London Combined Heat and Power energy recovery plant (SELCHP) is a first for London. The network will supply heating and hot water from waste used as an alternative fuel to generate energy. With this plan hot water and heating will be supplied to five estates in Southwark in South East London.

With a total investment of £7 million from Southwark Council and Veolia Environmental Services, a heating network will be built to supply both heating and hot water. SELCHP which has been generating electricity since it was built in the 1990’s, has been processing 430 000 tonnes of waste material every year, and the new heating network is due to be completed at the end of this year.

The five estates in Southwark are currently heated by gas boilers, which will be closed down and this will result in an 8 000 tonne annual saving of carbon emissions currently produced by the gas boilers. It is hoped that this energy to waste scheme will run for 20 years, after which council will decide whether to reintroduce the gas boilers or continue on the lower carbon alternative.

Boris Johnson, who is the current Mayor of London, has said that the provision of low cost and low carbon heating to homes in South East London is fantastic. He went on to add that SELCHP would save Londoners money on their energy bills, as well as adding to the very much needed reduction in carbon emissions. He welcomed what he said would be a more secure, sustainable, cost effective energy supply for London, and welcomed the local initiative.

There is definitely room for expansion on the SELCHP network, with more buildings becoming part of the network; and the more customers that come on board, the more efficient the system would become. This is according to Estelle Brachlianoff who is director of Veolia Environment for Northern Europe and the UK. Veolia has invested £ 5 million into the boiler modifications and pipe line network needed for this project. SELCHP has invested £2 million into their plant in related investments.

Renewable fuels that are used by SELCHP include municipal waste and refuse fuels, along with sewage gas, and other biogases. Use of these alternative sources of fuel has increased with the industry growing by 2.8% over the 2011 to 2012 time period.