As another week comes to a close, here is the Energy from Waste Network's round-up of the sector's biggest news stories.

Consultation has opened this week on including energy from waste in the UK’s Emissions Trading Scheme

After announcing its inclusion by 2028, the UK ETS authority has released two consecutive consultations: one on the inclusion of EfW and waste incineration and a second on greenhouse gas removals.

The Environmental Services Association (ESA) has called the consultations a ‘seismic shift’

They believe it represents a push towards the biggest sectoral change in a generation and will support the expansion of recycling and waste reduction in the UK. They have urged stakeholders within the sector to have their say. You can make sure that’s you here. 

And thinking ahead - recycling and waste management company Cory

Cory has entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CCUS global leader Carbon8, to work on installing carbon capture, storage, and utilitsation at their Riverside EfW facility. Cory’s Strategic Business Development Manager, Andrew O’Connor said that the move will be a great way to explore how the facility can make its processes even more sustainable. Currently, Riverside diverts 800,000 tonnes of waste from landfill each year. With the CCUS technology, they hope to capture 1.4 million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2030. 

Glasgow is planning big moves too, after a study found using an EfW plant to heat buildings and homes could be feasible in the future for the city

Glasgow City Council announced that a district heat network from the Glasgow Recycling and Renewable Energy Centre (GRREC) could heat housing, hospitals, schools, and other public facilities across the southside of the city. The study estimates an investment of £24.1 million would be required to make the plans a reality. 

However, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has voiced concerns that ‘confusion’ around heating is undermining Britain’s low-carbon heat transition

PAC’s concerns focus on the government’s approach to public funding and leveraging private investment in home heating to cut carbon emissions, claiming that grant funding would still leave households with an extra £4000 to pay out of their own pocket. 

And finally, happy fifth birthday to Hitachi Zosen Inova’s WTE facility! 

The Kompogas SLO plant, based in San Luis Obispo, California, has diverted more than 140,000 tons of organic waste from landfill. Since its birth, it has powered the equivalent of 600 homes per year and created more than 10 million M3 of biogas.