FCC’s new EfW facility in Buckinghamshire officially opened by HRH The Duke of Gloucester
Opening follows announcement earlier in October that FCC Environment will design, build, finance and operate the Edinburgh & Midlothian EfW facility.
The Greatmoor Energy from Waste (EfW) facility near Aylesbury was officially opened today (27th October) by HRH The Duke of Gloucester KG GCVO.
Buckinghamshire County Council, together with global environmental services company FCC Environment, who is operating the plant on the county’s behalf through its subsidiary FCC Environment UK, opened the doors of the facility to showcase the development and explain the benefits it will deliver to the county and the community.
The 30-year contract was awarded in 2013 and represents an order book value of £920.4m €1.027b).
The facility construction started in September 2013. The committed funds of £209.7m (€242m) have been funded through an innovative use of construction-only finance and prudential borrowing. The site is fully operational employing 46 full time, permanent operatives.
The council's Cabinet Member for Planning & Environment Warren Whyte said: "It's an honour to welcome the Duke of Gloucester to Buckinghamshire to formally open the Greatmoor Energy from Waste plant. The Duke's visit really does emphasise the great importance of this project to our county, both environmentally and financially - not only does Greatmoor generate renewable energy from the county's waste, but it also stands to save local taxpayers £150 million over the lifetime of the contract."
Paul Taylor, FCC Environment UK Chief Executive, said: “Greatmoor EfW will convert Buckinghamshire’s household and business waste, the material that cannot otherwise be recycled, into renewable energy. This will reduce the county’s dependence on landfill disposal. The contract will run for 30 years bringing significant sustainability and economic benefits to Buckinghamshire.”
The new facility will treat up to 300,000 tonnes of residual waste each year and will generate 22MW of electricity – the equivalent to the electricity needs required to power up to 36,000 homes. The facility will be the primary disposal point for all of Buckinghamshire’s local authority waste. Aylesbury Vale District Council and some of the County’s Household Recycling Centres will deliver waste directly to the facility, with the three southern districts councils (South Bucks, Chiltern and Wycombe) and the rest of the Recycling Centres using a Waste Transfer Station at High Heavens near High Wycombe. The Waste Transfer Station, which has also been constructed as part of the contract between FCC and Buckinghamshire County Council, is used to bulk waste into articulated lorries for onward transport to the EfW facility.
Antonio Alfonso, Managing Director - Head of FCC Environment’s International Division, said “The opening at Greatmoor follows the recent announcement that FCC will also design, build, finance and operate the Edinburgh & Midlothian EfW plant. These two historical milestones consolidate FCC´s position as one of the global leaders in delivering such sought-after environmental solutions, and furthermore, our continued commitment to our most important international market, the UK. With four EfW plants already operational in this country, and two more under construction, our continuous interest and investment in this market has been demonstrated for over twenty five years now. We are very proud to have built a strong track record in delivering EfW facilities under PPP schemes, and we are well placed to lead their future development in the UK and beyond.”
FCC Group is a world leader in providing services to citizens. The environmental services division of the company, has been active for over 100 years and has built its success on a commitment to innovation and to helping cities become smarter, more sustainable and more socially conscious. It currently serves more than 53 million people in 13 countries, with a network of more than 120 recycling facilities and 10 existing waste to energy projects with a capacity over 2.6 million tons and 300 MW power output.
FCC’s backlog in environmental services was 11.826 billion euros at the end of last year, the business area also accounted for 51.7% of FCC Group’s EBITDA in 2015. In October 2016 FCC reached financial close on the Edinburgh & Midlothian EfW facility, it has also been shortlisted for the Belgrade EfW facility in Serbia. The environment division has also recently secured contracts in the United States to design, build and operate the Dallas municipal waste and recycling plant, and to manage a solid waste collection contract in Orange County, FL.
