The Scottish New Generation Group visited Dundee Energy Recycling Limited and Dundee City Council's Waste Sorting Facility on 24th May 2007. Mr. Kenny Kerr and colleagues (DCC), Mr. Mark McCarthy (DERL) provided interesting and informative tours of the DCC and DERL sites respectively.

DERL operate an Energy-from-Waste Plant which was commissioned in 1999. It replaced a waste disposal incinerator and was the first of its type in the UK. The facility is scheduled to operate on the basis of processing (fuel preparation and Incineration in boilers) 105,000 tonnes of waste per annum. The plant has recently undergone a major refurbishment. The majority of waste material is delivered directly to the plant whilst some material is unsuitable for direct delivery and is taken to the Dundee City Council operated waste processing/recycling facility at Baldovie (next door to DERL) and is processed into recyclables and fuel stock. 

At the waste processing facility around 65% of the input material is rendered fuel for DERL, 30% recycled and around 5% landfill residues. At DERL the waste is shredded, metals removed and then fed into twin combustion chambers. The heat derived from combustion is used to power a steam turbine, generating electricity. It generates enough electricity to meet its own usage requirements and surplus is then fed back into the National Grid.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable visit. Thanks to Kenny and his colleagues and Mark for their time and answering all the questions!