Newhurst Waste Transfer Centre

The Newhurst Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) near Shepshed in Leicestershire is now fully operational. This is the third new energy from waste facility delivered by Hitachi Zosen INOVA AG (HZI) in the past 6 years, and the twelfth such project in the UK for HZI.

The facility will use proven technology to process 350,000 tonnes of non-recyclable commercial waste ever year, which it will use to generate up to 42MW of electricity which is enough to power 80,000 homes in the UK.

Energy recovery is a low carbon alternative to sending waste that cannot be recycled to a landfill. This ERF project is just one of several that are being constructed in the UK to move the country towards its goal of Net Zero.

The Newhurst plant will make a significant contribution to the UK’s waste management infrastructure, while also supporting the government’s efforts to reduce its dependency on landfill. It will also enable the UK to process non-recyclable material, without having to export it to countries in Europe that have the facilities. In addition, it will reduce carbon emissions and reduce the UK’s reliance on fossil fuels for generating power. In addition to incinerating non-recyclable material, metals and minerals will be refined and can then be reused. One example of this is the ash from the Newhurst plant can be processed and used in building roads.

Standing 46m from the ground up to its highest point, the facility comprising a wave formed roof from plate girders with web holes; C4 & C5 corrosion protection via galvanising and multi-coat paint systems, and 120 minutes fire resistance to some elements of the frame.

Billington Structures supplied almost 3,000 tonnes of structural steel on this project.

Over 300 jobs were created during the construction phase, and 50 people are now employed at the facility to keep it fully operational.