After three years of construction, the Ferrybridge Multifuel 2 (FM2) Energy-from-Waste (EfW) plant in the United Kingdom (UK) has successfully completed its commissioning phase. It has now been handed over by Switzerland-headed energy recovery from waste technology specialists Hitachi Zosen Inova AG to the client Multifuel Energy Ltd (MEL), a joint venture between SSE plc and Wheelabrator Technologies Inc., to start commercial operations.
Located next to its sister plant Ferrybridge Multifuel 1 (FM1) in West Yorkshire, the new Ferrybridge Multifuel 2 (FM2) Energy-from-Waste (EfW) facility entered full commercial operation on December 19, 2019. FM2 is capable of handling up to 675 000 tonnes annually of waste-derived fuels from various sources such as municipal solid waste (MSW), commercial and industrial waste and waste wood. With this, the plant will be producing enough energy to power around 180 000 homes.
We’re proud to have reached commercial operation at FM2, which is the culmination of three years of hard work by the project team. FM2 is now one of the most efficient energy-from-waste plants in the UK, powering homes and businesses, and diverting thousands of tonnes of waste from landfill every year. Following the successful completion of FM1 back in 2015, we were delighted to have HZI on board again as our EPC contractor, and the team did a fantastic job to get the project finished ahead of schedule, and most importantly, safely, said Matthew Knight, Project Manager for MEL.
Joined forces for increased energy efficiency
Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI) designed, procured and built the new FM2 plant after its sister plant FM1, also built by HZI and which has been in commercial operation since July 2015. With a boiler thermal capacity of 117 MW, FM2 achieves the same performance as FM1, a key requirement for the construction of FM2.
During its 3-years construction phase, the project created approximately 300 permanent construction jobs and involved a considerable number of local businesses. 6,750 tons of steel structure went into the construction site and in peak days, more than 900 people were on site.
Even after years in the business, it is still fascinating to see how complex large-scale projects like FM2 steadily progress until we can finally hand over a ready-to-run plant to the customer, remarked Harry Becker, Project Director for HZI.
As of December 19, the 43-member team from MEL will take over the operation of FM2 and thus initiate the two-year warranty period.
