The Lostock Sustainable Energy Plant in Cheshire is nearing completion, with operations expected to begin in 2027. The facility will process approximately 600,000 tonnes of landfill waste annually to generate between 69 and 90 megawatts of electricity for the national grid.
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90MW is a decent chunk of capacity, but I wonder about the interconnection agreement. Does the local grid have the headroom for this without significant upgrades, or will we see curtailment issues during low demand?
The real question is the carbon accounting here. Labeling this as sustainable is a stretch if the emissions profile mirrors coal. If they are claiming net zero credits by avoiding landfill methane, the math needs to be transparent.
I am curious if there is any plan for district heating. Burning all that waste just for electricity is inefficient. If they could pipe the heat to nearby industrial sites or homes, the actual energy recovery would be much higher.
Basically a massive incinerator that burns landfill for power. It hits the grid with electricity but keeps the carbon intensity high. Not exactly a leap forward in green tech, but better than just letting waste rot in a hole.
