Activities
The NESS Energy Project in Aberdeen is an energy from waste facility capable of processing 150,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste every year, generating electricity which is sent to the national grid. Indaver operates the facility for the three local authorities in North East Scotland – Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council and Moray Council.
The plant takes non-recyclable waste and treats it cleanly and completely, conforming to the latest European standards for emissions.
Thermal treatment of non-recycleable municipal waste
Modern plants are not like the incinerators of old. They burn non-recyclable waste cleanly and completely while conforming to strict standards for emissions, producing heat and electricity.
Energy from Waste provides a sustainable way of managing non-recyclable waste. Waste-to-energy technology plays a critical role in a well-functioning integrated waste management system. Waste delivered to the NESS facility is processed through a grate incinerator, with the electricity created from this process dispatched to the national grid, with a small amount used to run the facility itself.
In Aberdeen, the Energy from Waste plant will be connected to a district heat network in East Tullos which will heat homes in the nearby Torry area. This provides a local, long term, and sustainable solution for managing non-recyclable waste.
The areas of Seaton, Tillydrone, Hazlehead, and Stockethill in Aberdeen already have district heat networks, and residents' home energy bills have reduced by an average of 50% compared to the previous electric heating systems. The first of the existing schemes was set up in 2002. These schemes provide heat to 2,350 homes and 15 public buildings, reducing their Carbon emissions by 45%.
The site was chosen after an extensive site search that considered a range of factors, for example, proximity to heat users, access to main transport routes such as the AWPR (Aberdeen bypass), site availability and current use.
It was decided Aberdeen was the best placed local authority with regeneration areas which would most benefit from the low-cost heating provided by the facility. East Tullos Industrial Estate was chosen as it is an existing industrial site with the neighbouring area of Torry, where residents would benefit from the low-cost heating.
Thermal recovery of non hazardous residual household & commerical/industrial waste:
- Residual non-recyclable waste from domestic & commercial/industrial kerbside collection
- Combustible residual waste from recycling processes
- Refuse derived fuel (RDF)
- Residual combustible skip waste (non-bulky)
- Contaminated packaging / clothing / PPE / liners
Sustainability
- Sustainability report (2022)
Emissions
Understanding the Steam Plume from Our Incinerator
You might notice a plume of steam coming from our Energy from Waste stack and wonder what this is, and what it consist of. Here’s a clear explanation of the plume.
What is the Plume?
The visible plume is primarily steam, a result of combustion air released from the process. When the hot gases, which are around 140°C, are released into the cooler outside air, they condense back into water vapor, creating the steam plume you see. This plume is more noticeable on colder days and might not even be visible at all on hot days.
The visibility and colour of the plume is also affected by the ambient light conditions, therefore on dark backgrounds, or low sun level conditions typically seen during winter months, the plume may appear dark. Whereas on bright days with light or no cloud cover, the plume will also be light.
Not Smoke, But Steam
It’s important to differentiate between steam and smoke. The plume from our stack is not smoke. Smoke is typically darker and filled with particulates. In contrast, our process burns waste at over 850°C, ensuring complete combustion, which, combined with our advanced filtration system, ensures that any dust and particulates are trapped. Therefore, the gas leaving the stack consists of nitrogen, water vapor, and carbon dioxide.
Clean and Safe Emissions
Before being released, the gases pass through a rigorous cleaning process in our abatement system, which removes pollutants. Our operations comply with strict environmental standards, and we hold a permit that sets limits on various emission parameters. You can find detailed results of these emissions below.
Deliveries
More than 60% of waste will arrive in bulk via the AWPR , and get to the plant through East Tullos Industrial Estate via Wellington Road.
The remaining waste will be collected from across the city by the councils' bin lorries. Planning permission restricts the number of vehicles that can deliver waste to the plant to a maximum of 307 vehicles a week, which is around 7 vehicles an hour.
Community at NESS
Indaver stives to be an integral member of all of the communities we are part of. We at NESS are committed to being good neighbours who are actively involved in local activities.
We are delighted to look back on the Big Hop Trail project which we took part in with Clan Cancer Support. This abstract design is based on the sea and the wind, which are ever-present features of north-east Scotland was designed by local artisit Ewan J Milne. Clan Cancer Support partnered with Wild in Art once again to bring an exciting new art trail to the North East, Moray, Orkney and Shetland.
Indaver is also a member of the local community stakeholder engagement group.
Minutes of these meetings can be found below.
Safety
When it comes to safety, Indaver doesn’t compromise. Our employees safety is paramount at all of our sites. At Indaver safety is an absolute priority, consistent with our core value of ‘Concern for people, safety and the environment’. Indaver advocates a group-wide safety behavioural culture with a focus on continuous improvement.