UK gasification plant receives ROCs

A gasification plant in the Isle of Wight, UK, has become the first waste-fuelled gasification or pyrolysis plant to receive Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs).

Under the 2003 Renewable Obligation Order (ROO), the plant receives ROCs for each megawatt hour of electricity it generates from the renewable portion of waste (typically more than 60%).

Ofgen granted full accreditation after an agreement was made about the fuel measurement system, including the measurement of the biomass content of the fuel and the syngas gross calorific value (GCV).

Energos, whose technology is installed at the plant, received the ROCs for an initial period from October to December 2010, and will continue to be issued by Ofgen in accordance with the regulations. The auction price for ROCs approached £50 (€56.8) in March 2011.

Nick Dawber, managing director of Energos says: 'Now we have reached agreement with Ofgem and are receiving ROCs, we can press ahead with developing several small-scale projects in the UK. Planning consent has been granted for seven more energy recovery facilities using Energos technology. These are community sized plants that can supply both heat and/or electricity from non-recyclable and non-hazardous municipal solid waste and commercial waste streams.'