The Tees Valley Energy Recovery Facility (TV ERF) project has taken a significant step closer to being able to provide a zero-carbon waste management solution to more than one-and-a-half million people living across the North-East, after being invited to participate in the next stage of a process to grant Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) funding support for industrial carbon capture (ICC) projects. 

Phase Two of the Cluster Sequencing Process is being run by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and will provide financial support for industrial carbon emitting projects in two carbon capture clusters (the East Coast Cluster in the North-East and Hynet in the North-West). This will allow successful projects to develop and operate CCS infrastructure which will make a significant contribution to the UK’s net-zero carbon goals. 

The TV ERF project, being developed by seven partner authorities in the North-East of England, was invited today (12/08/2022) to enter into the “due diligence” phase of the process with BEIS prior to negotiations to establish funding support – although final funding will be subject to a decision by Government under the new Conservative leader from the Autumn. 

Twenty-five ICC projects were accepted into Phase Two of the Cluster Sequencing Process having met the eligibility criteria and the TV ERF is one of thirteen shortlisted to progress to the next stage. 

The TV ERF is a vital infrastructure project for the North-East and will provide Darlington, Durham, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton with a secure, reliable and sustainable treatment solution for municipal waste from 2026, which also has the potential to become carbon-negative (removing more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits) if CCS can be successfully deployed. 

Once operational, the energy recovery facility will treat up to 450,000 tonnes of residual waste every year and generate nearly 50MW of electricity – or enough to power the equivalent of 60,000 average homes. Three bidders – SUEZ, Viridor and Green Recovery Projects Ltd (FCC and Icon Infrastructure) – are currently bidding to design, finance, build and operate the TVERF, which will be situated at Teesworks on the site of the former British Steel works, where it is anticipated that the project will contribute to the economic regeneration of the area. The procurement process is being led by Hartlepool Borough Council on behalf of the project partners. 

Subject to progression and successful negotiations with BEIS, the chosen bidder will be required to develop and operate the necessary CCS infrastructure under the contract. 

Hartlepool Managing Director, Denise McGuckin, said: “We are thrilled that the Tees Valley Energy Recovery Facility project has been shortlisted by BEIS to progress to the next stage of the cluster sequencing process. This brings us a significant step closer to being able to deliver a zero-carbon waste treatment solution for more than a million and a half residents across the North-East – supporting the net-zero ambitions of the project partner authorities and making a contribution towards national net-zero targets

The project is due to become operational from 2026, which means that the TVERF could become one of the first facilities of its kind in the UK to deploy CCS infrastructure and we look forward to working with BEIS and other organisations in the East Coast Cluster to make this a reality.”