Edinburgh-based Green Investment Group (GIG) — a specialist ‘green energy’ project developer and investor — and Covanta — a leading energy-from-waste (EfW) owner and operator — have acquired a 50% stake in the Earls Gate Energy Centre (EGEC), a combined heat and power energy-from-waste facility in Grangemouth.

EGEC will prevent 216,000 tonnes of household and commercial waste from entering landfill each year and will
provide heat and power to local industry.

The waste will be converted into 79GWh of electricity and 81GWh of heat (in the form of steam) each year. Working closely with co-investor and developer Brockwell Energy, which owns the remaining 50% stake, the facility will be a direct source of reliable low-cost energy for local businesses.

Chemical manufacturer and site service provider CalaChem has entered into a long-term Energy Supply Agreement (ESA) for the off-take of electricity and steam produced by EGEC.

EGEC is GIG’s 19th Scottish project; it follows a range of investments supporting sustainable economic growth in Scotland.

By preventing around 20% of Scotland’s total landfilled household waste in 2017 from going to landfill, the facility will make a significant contribution to the local authority’s ability to achieve the goals of Scotland’s biodegradable municipal-waste landfill ban, which is due to come into effect on 1 January 2021.

Construction is due to commence in 2019, and the facility is expected to become operational in late 2021.

Edward Northam, head of GIG Europe (www.greeninvestmentgroup.com), said: “For the first time, 2017 saw Scotland recycle more waste than it sent to landfill.

“This is a fantastic achievement, but there remains a lack of capacity in Scotland’s waste management system to unlock the value to businesses and households from converting residual waste into low-carbon energy.

“The Earls Gate facility will play a major role in changing that.”