Cory Riverside Energy’S Efw Plant
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INDUSTRY FOCUS by ETHAN O’BRIEN Carbon Management Advisor at Cory Riverside Energy Energy from Waste and Recycling tonnes of recyclables per annum. the approach; the Cory Compliance In this regular feature, we focus Cory’s river based, local waste Team use their expertise in running on how organisations across disposal and energy generation an Integrated Management System different industries approach solution has substantial carbon (IMS) covering an ISO 14001 energy management. Here, savings compared to road based Environmental Management System, we are exploring the world of transport and landfilling of waste. ISO 9001 Quality Standard and an energy from waste and recycling Throughout the operation using OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health with Ethan O Brien, Carbon energy responsibly, increasing and Safety Standard to develop Management Advisor at Cory efficiency and reducing carbon the energy management strategy Riverside Energy. emissions are central to enhancing within the company. The next phase the Cory Riverside Energy brand. to enhance the existing IMS, is to Cory Riverside Energy’s (Cory) incorporate an ISO 50001 energy mission is to provide London with a A unique approach for a unique management system, further safe, secure, and sustainable energy operation demonstrating Cory’s commitment supply, derived from London’s waste to improving energy management. resource. Cory use a fleet of tugs Energy management at Cory has and barges on the River Thames to been high on the agenda since To produce energy and manage transport sealed containers of waste 2008. It has officially been endorsed waste resource, energy is required (c.750,000 tonnes pa.) from riparian by senior management in a Carbon in day to day operations. Electricity transfer stations to its Energy from Management Commitment Policy and gas procurement is also Waste (EfW) facility in Belvedere, that governs operations. The policy managed within the Compliance South-East London. This 72MW sets out an ambitious aim; “to team; both commodity and facility powers around 160,000 homes become the lowest carbon producer non-commodity elements of site annually. Additionally, Cory choose within the industry and to encourage energy bills are reviewed to ensure to work with sustainable aggregate its customers, suppliers and energy charges are cost reflective recyclers to produce c.200,000 tonnes stakeholders to reduce their carbon of Cory’s consumption patterns. As pa. of useful recycled aggregate emissions.” energy costs continue to rise, and materials from Incinerator Bottom non-commodity costs make up Ash (IBA) and Air Pollution Control Cory has long recognised that the more of the final bill, this part of the Residue (APCR); by-products from the practical starting point is to measure job will be more critical than ever. energy recovery process. The overall and manage the challenges that Demand side management is another process moves waste up the waste energy poses to the organisation. area where Cory is actively looking • ISSUE MAY—JUNE 2017 MAY—JUNE • ISSUE hierarchy, increases UK resource A compliance plan is in place to into possible revenue opportunities productivity, and saves carbon assure Cory is fully compliant with whilst reducing peak demands on emissions produced from mining the Carbon Reduction Commitment the national grid. virgin aggregates. (CRC), Energy Savings Opportunities MAGAZINE Scheme (ESOS) and other energy Cory’s energy consumption profile Further up river, Cory Riverside and environmental legislation. The is unique. Buildings and operations EMA Energy’s flagship Smugglers Way experience of the business in using range from state-of-the-art modern THE Materials Recycling Facility (MRF), systems to deal with health, safety facilities and tug fleet, to more located at Wandsworth, sorts 80,000 and environmental risks underpins historic buildings on the banks of 18 the river. In the same way Cory tugs highway’ operations on the river ‘disposal’ operation). To the immense navigate the River Thames carrying save some 14,000 tonnes carbon and pride of all staff at Cory Riverside London’s waste, the route to energy removes 100,000 truck movements Energy, the facility is at the top savings requires navigating through from London’s congested streets performing end of electricity-only a sea of usage data. Cory has been every year. These figures have been EfW facilities in the UK. The process collecting robust energy use data for externally supported by a leading itself sees its boilers operate at all activities, for over 10 years. UK energy consultancy. The ‘green c.850oC, producing super-heated highway’ operation requires careful steam to drive BRUSH turbine plant Energy is used at Cory Riverside planning and at Cory’s Charlton that generates electricity for export Energy’s waste transfer stations and site, fleet management is robustly to the grid. Exhaust gas from the the Smugglers Way MRF in various organised and maintained by a energy from waste process is further industrial processes. These already dedicated team. Interval and planned recycled, to maximize efficiency and incorporate various energy saving maintenance systems are in place reduce emissions. Energy consuming systems; many motors, conveyors and for all Cory vessels to ensure the processes are monitored and compressors are variable speed drive efficient scheduling and use of fuel controlled by a Building Management (VSD) controlled for instance. There in the Cory fleet. Cory’s vessels all System (BMS) for maximum operating is excellent visibility of half-hourly have engines that are classed as efficiency. Countless energy saving electricity consumption, thanks low nitrous oxide (LoNOx) discharge features are in operation and more to the installation of Automated and fuel consumption is tightly programmes are always in the Meter Reading (AMRs) meters monitored. River-going tugs have pipeline. The facility has also been across sites. The Compliance Team to contend with many different designed to be Combined Heat and Energy from Waste and Recycling investigate unexplained electricity variables which affect the amount Power (CHP) ready. The use of heat consumption patterns in half-hourly of fuel consumed on seemingly produced in the energy recovery data and actively report on potential identical journeys. These include: process would significantly increase improvement measures. Cory tidal variations, different gross the overall carbon performance recently identified that and therefore the the mechanism for development of a CHP conveying this data solution at the site is a back to sites could be key objective. improved. An online energy management The Way Ahead portal is being introduced, with email Carbon efficiency and alarms to inform staff wider environmental of overnight spikes sustainability factors are in electricity use and essential to the Cory triad warnings issued Riverside Energy brand to facilitate demand and aligned to business reduction opportunities. objectives. Cory are The aim is to widen committed to using data access and energy responsibly, improve all-round communication. loading on barges and London’s increasing efficiency and reducing Everyone can benefit from greater varying weather. To understand these carbon emissions. New business communication around energy variations, fuel use is benchmarked development plans being set out management. Energy audits against different driving factors in 2017 are encouraging even more undertaken as part of ESOS including: litres per tonne waste; ambition, aiming to achieve new compliance had already identified a litres per hour and litres per nautical recognition for our performance. range of energy saving projects and a mile. Indicating the ongoing success Everyone at Cory is aligned on the selection of the most feasible will be of the logistical operation, the Cory direction of travel and ensuring included in a new ‘Energy Roadmap’ Riverside Energy fleet have seen an that we work as a team to secure implementation programme. 18% reduction in energy used per our place at the heart of London’s Re-development work is on-going tonne of waste transported over a resource management infrastructure across the business and senior 5-year period between 2012 and into the future. management are working to ensure 2016. that energy efficiency opportunities are incorporated into the new Cory’s single most significant area Author’s profile: business development plan. The of energy consumption, is the Ethan graduated with an MSc from • ISSUE MAY—JUNE 2017 MAY—JUNE • ISSUE cleanest, greenest source of energy is self-generation requirement at the University of Edinburgh Business after all, the unit not used. Cory Riverside Energy’s EfW plant. School in 2014. Post-graduation, he First commissioned in 2011, Cory spent two years jointly developing Cory’s use of the River Thames to Riverside Energy EfW is extremely renewable energy projects in East transport waste, instead of trucks modern and efficient, the first EfW Africa and consulting on energy MAGAZINE on the road, saves a significant plant in London to be accredited management for UK businesses, prior EMA amount of energy, by using less as an ‘R1’ facility (i.e. classed as to joining Cory Riverside Energy in his fuel. We estimate Cory’s ‘green waste ‘recovery’ rather than a waste current carbon advisory role. THE 19.