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Sunday, December 4, 2011

Turning waste in to energy could reduce landfill dependency


An innovative closed loop system will see neighbourhood rubbish burnt to produce heat and power for the community.


The notion that waste can be turned into energy seems as fanciful as turning water into wine. But this is no modern day miracle: it's a proven technology that has the potential to provide a significant amount of UK PLc's domestic energy needs while reducing the nation's over dependency on landfill.


Waste into energy technology can limit pollution and methane emissions, providing a low-carbon alternative source of energy. It produces large amounts of heat and power for district networks and is commonly used in Scandinavia. Although there has been some opposition to it in the UK as it can reduce the encouragement for reusing and recycling waste, it can also provide a good clean energy solution.


At the Surrey Canal development in a neglected corner of South-East London, a closed loop waste to energy system will provide hot water to 2,400 homes via a district heating system. Developer Renewal Group has received outline planning consent from Lewisham Council for this project.


The process begins with the sorting and collection of domestic waste. Instead of choosing a conventional rubbish collection process, with attendant refuse vehicles accessing the site, the developer has elected to install an automated underground vacuum waste system procured from Envac that demonstrably increases recycling rates.


Read the rest of the article here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/energy-to-waste-closed-loop?newsfeed=true


-Duy Truong

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