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Energy from Waste

R1 Status - the why, how and where?

The R1 Energy Efficiency Formula

The Waste Framework Directive (WFD) provides a hierarchy which prioritises waste prevention followed by preparing for reuse, recycling, recovery and finally, least favourably, disposal. Energy From Waste (EfW) plants can be classified as either Recovery or Disposal operations. 

The ESA has committed to driving higher standards across the Waste and Recycling sector. For EfW plants, achieving Recovery status (known as R1) is an efficient way to increase standards across the industry. The ESA continues to work and support its members to work towards all operational UK EfW facilities being formally recognised by Regulators as Recovery operations where possible.

To increase transparency in the industry the ESA has worked with Tolvik Consulting to create this document which outlines the R1 status of UK EfW facilities. 

Definitions

The Waste Framework Directive (WFD) Article 3 makes the following definitions:

  • 'Recovery' means any operation the principal result of which is waste serving a useful purpose by replacing other materials which would otherwise have been used to fulfil a particular function, or waste being prepared to fulfil that function, in the plant or in the wider economy. 
  • 'Disposal' means any operation which is not recovery even where the operation has as a secondary consequence the reclamation of substances or energy. 

The Revised WFD specifies that Energy from Waste plants dedicated to the processing of municipal solid waste can be classified as Recovery (R1) only where their energy efficiency is equal to or above either 0.60 (for installations in operation 1st January 2009) or 0.65 (for installations permitted after 31st December 2008).

To qualify as an R1 recovery operation an Energy from Waste plant must:

  • have or will have an environmental permit for a waste incineration installation;
  • be capable of incinerating mixed municipal solid waste, including refuse derived fuel or solid recovered fuel;
  • not be a co-incinerator.

Application

Application details can be found on the .Gov website. It is important that the formula is applied to the correct parts of the EfW process and that the 'system boundaries' are set correctly.

The list of installations below is the current schedule of R1 (design or operational status) Energy from Waste plants that are operational in the UK as of April 2021. The ESA will update this list to reflect any changes.

Table 1: EfW Facilities that have achieved R1 status.

Installation Name Operator R1 value*
Avonmouth Energy Recovery Facility
Viridor
0.82
Allington      FCC 0.67
Allerton Waste Recovery Park
AmeyCespa
0.81
Ardley Energy from Waste Facility
Viridor
0.71
Battlefield Energy from Waste Facility
Veolia
0.67
Beddington Energy Recovery Facility
Viridor
0.69
Cardiff Energy from Waste Facility
Viridor
0.79
Cornwall Energy Recovery Centre
SUEZ
0.77
Devonport Energy from Waste CHP
MVV
0.87
Dunbar Energy Recovery Facility
Viridor
0.72
Parc Adfer Energy Recovery Facility
enfinium
0.69
Ferrybridge MFE2 Limited
enfinium
0.85
Ferrybridge Multifuel Facility
enfinium
0.85
Four Ashes Energy Recovery Facility
Veolia
0.71
Full Circle Generation Ltd
Full Circle Generation Ltd
0.74
Greatmoor EFW Facility
FCC
0.84
Hartlebury EfW
Severn Waste Services Limited
0.77
Integra North Energy Recovery Facility
Veolia
0.66
Integra South East Energy Recovery Facility
Veolia
0.61
Integra South West Energy Recovery Facility
Veolia
0.71
Javelin Park Energy recovery Facility
Urbaser Ltd
0.71
Kemsley Generating Station
enfinium
1.03
Kirklees EFW
SUEZ
0.65
Lakeside EfW Facility
Lakeside Energy From Waste Limited
0.68
Leeds Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility
Veolia
0.77
Lincolnshire EfW Facility
FCC
0.84
Newhaven Energy Recovery Facility
Veolia
0.67
Peterborough Energy From Waste Facility
Viridor
0.85
Riverside Resource Recovery Facility
Cory
0.76
Runcorn EFW; Lines 1&2, 3&4
Viridor
1.02, 0.85
Severnside energy Recovery Centre
SUEZ
0.88
Sheffield Energy Recovery Facility
Veolia
0.78
South East London Combined Heat & Power 
Veolia
0.66
SUEZ Suffolk Energy from Waste Facility
SUEZ
0.81
Tees Valley; Lines 1&2, 3, 4&5
SUEZ
0.70, 0.62, 0.77
Tyesley Energy from Waste Plant
Veolia
0.64
Wilton 11 EfW
SUEZ
0.77

*= 3 year average (or Design)

 

Table 2: EfW facilities that have not achieved R1 status.

Installation Name Operator R1 / Comments
Coventry
CSWDC
 
Dudley
MESE
 
Bolton
Suez
In repair and refurbishment
NewLincs
NewLincs
 
Edmonton
LondonEnergy
 
Eastcroft
FCC
 
Gremista
Gremista
 
Baldovie
MVV
 
Hanford
MESE
 
Lancing
Enviropower
 
Wolverhampton
MESE
 
Exeter
Viridor
 
Glasgow
Viridor
 
Milton Keynes ACT
Amey
 
Millerhill EfW
FCC
Expecting to achieve R1 status in late 2022
Energy Works ACT
BIG
 
Levenseat ACT
Levenseat
 
Baddersley
Equitix
 
Rookery South
Covanta
To apply summer 2022

 A downloadable copy of this document can be found below:

220503_ESA_R1_Status FINAL-page-001.jpg


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This schedule has been prepared for the Environmental Services Association (ESA) by Tolvik Consulting Ltd from information provided by Regulators and plant operators. Please feedback any updates, errors, or omissions to www.tolvik.com. 

* Neither the ESA nor Tolvik accepts any responsibility or liability for the consequence of this report being used for any purpose. Any person using or relying on the information in this report will by such use indemnify the ESA and/or Tolvik for all loss or damage resulting therefrom.