Lincolnshire’s Energy-from-Waste facility provides a sustainable way to dispose of residual waste that otherwise would end up in landfill. The cost-effective project also produces electricity and has the potential to supply heat to the local community. Ramboll has assisted the County Council as its lead technical advisor, providing fast-track services and results.
Sustainable, safe and affordable
Where it is uneconomic or unsound to recycle, residual waste becomes a valuable local source of energy. Following detailed research and an extensive public consultation, robust Energy from Waste (EfW) technology emerged as the solution to Lincolnshire’s waste problem. Today, a recently delivered EfW facility provides a sustainable, safe and affordable waste treatment solution.
In 2007, Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) initiated the project, and Ramboll has been its technical advisor throughout procurement and implementation stages. Ramboll continues to provide ongoing support of the project during its initial operation.
Providing electricity and District Heat for the local community
The facility started treating waste in 2013 and is significantly reducing the amount of waste that Lincolnshire sends to landfill. The plant can treat 150,000 tonnes of residual household and commercial waste per annum and generate approximately 11 MW of renewable electricity for the local community. In its first year of operation, the facility produced over 58,000 MWh of electricity, enough to power up to 26,500 homes.
The facility has been designed and constructed to allow conversion to Combined Heat and Power (CHP) operation. Up to 10 MW of heat is available, making it possible to supply heat to citizens and local businesses, allowing it to adapt to potential future demands.
Significant fast-track scheme
As Technical Advisor to the Council, Ramboll provided multidisciplinary services from the start, including planning and procurement support and the development of technical specifications and outline design for the plant.
Ramboll developed the plant specification and technical evaluation documentation for the procurement process. Ramboll’s design provided an efficient layout for reliable operation and maintenance, which helped streamline the planning and procurement process. The Council’s ability to submit a planning application, based on Ramboll’s design, was key to setting the pace of project delivery.
Procurement started in late 2008, planning permission was obtained in mid 2009, and the preferred bidder was appointed in late 2010. Construction commenced in 2011, and the Lincolnshire Energy-from-Waste facility started operating in August 2013, a remarkably short time frame for a complex process. This fast-track scheme also helped save the Council significant landfill tax.
The EfW-facility is able to power a district heating network in the Greater Lincoln area. Additionally, the plant includes a popular visitors and education centre, has a 75-metre high stack and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With comprehensive experience from similar projects, Ramboll assisted as LCC's technical advisor throughout the process.