Isra-Mart srl:Devonport Naval Base launches waste-to-energy proposals

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Isra-Mart srl news:

One of the UK's largest waste-to-energy projects took a major step forward yesterday with the announcement that German company MVV Umwelt has been selected as the preferred bidder to build a facility in South Devon capable of processing 250,000 tonnes of domestic waste each year.

The South West Devon Waste Partnership, a joint venture between Plymouth City Council, Devon County Council and Torbay Council, said it would now aim to submit a planning application within the next few months with a view to begin construction in 2012 and starting operations in 2014.

Under the proposals, MVV Umwelt will build a combined heat and power plant at the Devonport Naval Base in Devon, providing electricity to the grid and heat to the naval facilities.

The project is being backed by £95m of Private Finance Initiative (PFI) credits and the decision to appoint MVV Umwelt as the preferred bidder has secured approval from Defra, which will ultimately be responsible for issuing the credits.

The partnership said it would next month host a series of roadshows in the local community ahead of lodging a planning application.

Councillor Dave Butt, chair of the South West Devon Waste Partnership, said the project would deliver a large number of environmental benefits.

"Successfully using the energy from the process is key to the proposal – it provides significant economic benefits for the Partnership and the Naval Base, and important environmental advantages too by avoiding waste going to landfill and reducing the Dockyard's dependency on fossil fuels," he said. "The proposed plant will be designed to fit in with its industrial surroundings and to minimise the impact on local residents."