Encyclis has successfully completed a pioneering pilot programme to substitute diesel with hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) in the Energy-from-Waste (EfW) process, marking a significant step in decarbonising its operations. This achievement follows a 12-month research and development initiative to explore whether HVO, a sustainable fuel made from waste vegetable oil, could effectively replace diesel and reduce fossil carbon emissions.
In a first for the UK, Newhurst Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) in Leicestershire used HVO during its start-up process after a scheduled maintenance outage. Encyclis CEO Owen Michaelson expressed pride in the milestone, stating, “This industry-leading achievement is a testament to the dedication of our teams and another example of the action we are taking right now to decarbonise our energy-from-waste operations. The fact that we are the first to achieve this is a source of immense pride.”
Michaelson emphasized the company's commitment to tangible climate action, adding, “The climate challenge demands action, not words, and that's at the heart of our strategy. We are working to provide a public sanitation solution that not only recovers energy and other resources from residual waste but actively cuts carbon emissions through initiatives like this, and our carbon capture programme.”
The pilot involved detailed testing of HVO's combustion properties and technical adjustments at Saacke's Bremen facility in Germany. After an initial delivery of 40,000 litres of HVO, the Newhurst plant successfully restarted operations following a planned five-day maintenance outage. Encyclis plans to expand HVO use across its fleet of energy recovery facilities once long-term performance testing is completed.
Sven Gose, partner consulting and engineering specialist at Saacke, commented, “I had the great pleasure of supporting Encyclis with the introduction of HVO at the Newhurst Energy Recovery Facility. The collaboration with the professionals at Encyclis was excellent and extremely productive. Their structured approach allowed us to quickly and successfully reduce the carbon footprint of this plant significantly.”
