SC(3) CR-E7

Sustainability Committee

Inquiry into Carbon Reduction in Wales: Electricity Generation (including renewable energy)

Response from Graveson Energy Management (GEM)

Background

GEM is a Welsh company, playing its part in assisting Wales in its goal to become a 'first mover’ country in the global campaign against climate change. Using a technique known as 'flash pyrolysis’, the GEM technology can use any carbon based material as fuel, to produce sustainable renewable energy. GEM’s modular process supports the proximity principal and the waste hierarchy of reduce, reuse, recycle prior to diverting the residual waste for conversion to energy.

GEM offers a sustainable solution to energy production, utilising the 'flash pyrolysis’ process. The conversion is more efficient and produces a cleaner gas than traditional combustion or gasification methods.  The pyrolysis process excludes air - therefore the non-combustion element presents a far more acceptable option than that of incineration, reducing health risks and environmental impacts.

GEM’s Advanced Thermal Technology:

• Identifies wasted resources as valuable fuel;

• Utilises that fuel by effectively converting it into synthetic gas;

• Synthetic gas produced is a replacement for natural gas, reducing reliance on fossil fuel energy sources;

• Generates renewable electricity and heat from that synthetic gas;

• Enables landfill diversion without discouraging reusing and recycling, promoting the waste hierarchy;

• Improves the environmental impact compared with traditional forms of waste disposal and power generation;

• Adheres to proximity principles with a small scale modular design, decreasing traffic movements.

The technology offered by GEM is therefore not only compatible with the National Assembly for Wales’ stated aims on waste management and reduced emissions in power generation, but is also an example of how Welsh companies can be exemplar in the field.

Wales’ record on municipal waste disposal shows significant room for improvement. In 2005/6, 75.5% of municipal waste in Wales was sent to landfill, 14.7% was reused or recycled, 8.5% was composted or biologically treated, and 0.6% was used to recover heat and power. Using technology such as GEM’s, this record can doubtlessly be ameliorated.

Responses to the questions below will deal with the issues presented from an energy-from-waste perspective, highlighting the opportunities offered and the challenges faced by the sector in helping Wales to reduce its carbon emissions and contribute to a more sustainable future.

3. What particular challenges does Wales face in reducing carbon dioxide emissions from energy generation, and how can these challenges be overcome?

The main challenge facing Wales in reducing carbon dioxide emissions from energy generation is reconciling a growing demand for energy with the inevitable prospect of this energy having to be drawn from traditional, finite sources that are heavy in carbon emissions. GEM accepts that for the foreseeable future Wales will rely mostly on traditional fossil fuel-based methods of power generation. Currently, power generation accounts for almost a third of carbon emissions in Wales,(1) and of the top eleven carbon emitters in Wales eligible for the EU ETS scheme (constituting 98% of emissions from the 39 scheme members), seven are power stations. Despite improvements in efficiency and small yearly reductions in emissions in a number of these plants, their burdensome contribution to Wales’ carbon output, along with society’s over-reliance on such power sources, are beyond doubt.

Therefore if carbon emissions are to be reduced in this crucial sector, preparations must be made for a more diverse energy mix that not only meets demand, but also produces energy in a cleaner, more efficient and sustainable way. This is a challenge that will take significant political will and resources to overcome. Equally, it is a challenge that does not exist in isolation. Waste management is also a key aspect of the sustainability agenda, and technologies that combine the ability to generate clean energy and divert waste from landfill must be supported so that the Welsh Assembly Government is seen to be delivering integrated solutions.

4. Do the current energy policies of the Welsh Assembly Government give sufficient emphasis to carbon reduction through low carbon energy generation?

GEM welcomes the commitment made by WAG in the recently published Renewable Energy Route Map for Wales to increase Wales’ renewable energy production, especially given the Route Map’s positive portrayal of the potential of energy from waste. The Assembly Government’s target of recycling and composting 40% of municipal waste by 2010 will still leave a significant portion of waste with considerable energy-harvesting potential still to be harnessed. Therefore despite the fact that the use of residual household wastes in energy from waste facilities will be capped at 30% from 2010, GEM strongly agrees with the Energy Route Map in that 'the selective use of energy from waste facilities for residual waste disposal can offer a number of environmental health benefits whilst complementing existing recycling initiatives.’(2) It is important to bear in mind also that waste management policies in Wales are driven to a significant extent by the EC Landfill Directive, which will compel local authorities to search for alternative waste management strategies that avoid sending waste to landfill.

6. Could alternative targeting of Welsh Assembly Government financial resources lead to greater emission reduction from energy generation than is currently being achieved? If so, where could additional resources lead to greatest impact? (Please provide detail to support your evidence).

Following on from our response to question 3 and 4, GEM believes that in order for the potential carbon (and landfill) reductions from energy from waste to be realised, support for the research and development of new technologies must be more forthcoming as this is a market which is not yet fully developed and yet for which the technology is internationally proven. Currently, the requisite infrastructure and funding streams required to facilitate this are not in place. GEM is currently contributing to Defra’s New Technology Demonstration Programme in England, as part of the Yorwaste project at Seamer Carr, near Scarborough in North Yorkshire, and is the only Welsh company taking part in the project. A similar demonstrator programme in Wales, backed by the Welsh Assembly Government, would not only stimulate the market for emerging renewable energy technologies but also would provide Welsh companies in the sector with an opportunity to showcase their products and demonstrate their value to local authorities as well as private companies who may require energy-from-waste solutions.  Initiatives such as these are essential if Wales is to deliver on its ambitions to 'lead the transition to low carbon economies.’(3) GEM therefore welcomes the commitment in the Renewable Energy Route Map to 'produce a ''best practice’’ design guide for new waste management facilities with exemplar facilities, illustrating for developers and local authorities what can be achieved’.(4)

7. What examples from other administrations (devolved, UK and overseas), where other means have been used to achieve reductions in carbon dioxide emissions from energy production, could be adopted in Wales under current powers?

By focusing on a very specific target i.e. CO2 reduction in power generation, in isolation, Wales is target driven and will miss opportunities to make real sustainable improvements to the environment and our economy.

True substantial carbon reduction will only be achieved by embracing zero carbon technologies i.e. wind, tidal, nuclear and hydrogen, since other forms will still create CO2 and with the loss of production of electricity from Wylfa in the near future, CO2te/MW produced in Wales will significantly increase. Therefore these targets are neither achievable nor meaningful.

Wales needs a holistic approach to all its policies, which integrate sustainability and environmental improvement as themes rather than separated targets. We also need to be mindful of how our policies and choices impact on the planet, not just within our borders. Supporting a 350MW biomass power plant for Port Talbot in order to achieve 70% of WAG’s 2010 renewable target is an example of how target driven tunnel vision can damage the environment, because:-

• Wales does not produce enough wood fuel to power the plant.

• 500,000tpa of clean wood would have to be imported by ship to Port Talbot dock.  Sustainable forests cannot support that rate of growth / felling. The carbon footprint of felling clean wood from other countries, and shipping to Port Talbot would not be considered within the CO2 emissions of the plant operating in Wales, and therefore mis-represent the actual environmental impact of the proposal.

The Netherlands have well established integrated policies that consider energy generation, waste management, transport and community requirements. They operate proximity principal hubs that utilise the city/towns waste to produce electrical energy, the heat provides district heating for affordable housing and commercial properties and the country’s transportation networks are not congested with bulk haulage of waste due to localised plants.

This pattern doesn’t suit all scenarios, but it does demonstrate that integrated approach to policy can provide benefits across many sectors with added environmental improvement.

Graveson Energy Management
ECM2
Heol Cefn Gwrgan
Margam
Port Talbot
South Wales
SA13 2EZ

(1) EAW Written Submission, NafW Sustainability Committee 7/2/08, http://www.assemblywales.org/bus-home/bus-committees/bus-committees-third-assem/bus-committees-third-sc-home/bus-committees-third-sc-agendas.htm?act=dis&id=73529&ds=3/2008

(2) Renewable Energy Route Map for Wales, p.21

(3) Renewable Energy Route Map for Wales, p.4

(4)enewable Energy Route Map for Wales, p.22