Air Products Tees Valley Renewable Energy Facility
 

Technology

The proposed facility will generate up to 49MW of renewable power from municipal, industrial and commercial waste.

Using this waste, the majority of which would be headed for landfill, advanced gasification technology is different from incineration because it can be used to convert a variety of feedstocks (for example non-recyclable waste) into power, hydrogen and biofuels and a non-hazardous by-product.

The non-organic by-products from this process can also be recycled, for use in road bedding and other construction based applications.

  • Waste will be collected from homes, businesses and industry in the usual way – waste that cannot be recycled will be delivered to the facility
  • Waste is fed into the enclosed gasifier and combusted at a very high temperature using plasma technology. Emissions are reduced due to the high temperature used in the process.
  • Waste is converted into a gas, called syngas, and a by-product, vitrified slag
  • The syngas is treated, cleaned, and then used in a combustion gas turbine to generate electricity
  • The non-organic by-product (slag) can be recycled, for use in road bedding and other construction based applications.
  • In the future, the plant has the potential to produce renewable hydrogen



Graphic showing reception facility of proposed plant.
*Illustrations are indicative only and subject to change following engineering design and consultation.

This facility is the first of a number of advanced gasification plants that Air Products will be looking to develop in the UK over the next few years.  Whilst this technology has been proven in other countries, the North East will be leading the way towards the sustainable production of energy from waste in the UK.

Facilities such as these are closely monitored by environmental and health protection agencies and their operation is not allowed unless strict regulations are followed.

In line with Air Products commitment to safety, these regulations will be closely followed to ensure that the technology is used efficiently and safely and any emissions from the facility will not be harmful to the surrounding environment or our neighbours.