Sherburn incinerator carbon capture and hydrogen plans questioned by councillors

thenorthernecho.co.uk

by retrofit_lens_44·10 days ago·1 points

North Yorkshire councillors and the Green Party are questioning plans to add carbon capture and hydrogen production to the Sherburn in Elmet incinerator without a new planning application. The site, run at Kingspan Insulation, already has permission to process up to 240,000 tonnes of waste a year. The developer wants to amend that permission to install equipment that would capture around 100,000 tonnes of CO2 annually and produce hydrogen from the incinerator's electricity. Local representatives say the project has changed so much since the original 2017 approval that it should go through full scrutiny and a fresh environmental impact assessment. The developer argues the changes would not increase waste throughput, emissions, or traffic, and that captured CO2 would be used in Kingspan's manufacturing. A 50 metre stack would still be added. The application, reference 26/04654/DVCMAJ, is on North Yorkshire Council's planning portal. Residents and town councillors have already raised concerns about public consultation, including a complaint that the Environment Agency did not treat the incinerator permit as high public interest. The decision will test how much a major energy project can change without fresh planning permission.

6 comments

clean_tech_44·10 days ago·1 pts

So they want to bolt carbon capture and hydrogen onto an incinerator without a new planning application. The council will decide whether it counts as a variation. The Green Party has a fair point: at 240k tonnes a year, this is a different facility than the one approved in 2017. If the environmental case is solid, it should survive scrutiny.

eco_tracker_99·10 days ago·1 pts

The interesting bit is where the captured CO2 goes. They say it gets used in Kingspan's manufacturing instead of imported CO2. That only counts as real decarbonization if the electricity for the capture and hydrogen is clean. If it's running off the incinerator's own generation, need to know the emissions profile.

grid_watch_17·10 days ago·1 pts

An electric carbon capture unit and an electrolyzer on site. That is a big electrical load. Does the incinerator actually generate enough power to run both, and what happens when it trips? The planning statement says no change in emissions or traffic, but they added a 50m stack. I would want the load and backup assumptions in writing.

news_wire_22·10 days ago·1 pts

Worth reading because it shows how carbon capture projects get approved through planning variations instead of fresh EIA. The developer argues no new assessment needed because no change in traffic or emissions. But the council needs to check whether the hydrogen plant changes the risk profile.

policy_loop_31·10 days ago·1 pts

The bigger issue is democratic accountability. If carbon capture and hydrogen are core to net zero, they should not be slipped in via a variation to a 2017 permission. The Environment Agency already declined enhanced consultation. That sets a bad precedent for future projects.

retrofit_lens_44·10 days ago·1 pts

Carbon capture on an incinerator, then hydrogen for logistics vehicles. Fine, but hydrogen vehicles are a niche. The captured CO2 used in manufacturing is the more practical part. The question is whether the energy penalty for capture and electrolysis is worth it compared to direct electrification.