Vattenfall and Viridor team up to capture energy from waste heat for UK cities

The partnership will see waste collected, recycled into clean heat and delivered through pipes to warm homes and businesses

The low carbon heating provider Vattenfall and recycling company Viridor have announced a new collaboration to capture heat from energy recovery facilities (ERFs) across the UK.

The plan is to collect waste from communities, recycle it into clean heat and deliver it through pipes developed and operated by Vattenfall to homes and businesses.

According to official figures, heating in buildings is responsible for around 37% of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions.

Noah Nkonge, Head of Partnerships at Vattenfall Heat UK, said: “To reach net zero the UK has to crack the problem of emissions from heat, which currently make up one-third of the UK’s total emissions.”

Richard Pennells, Viridor’s Managing Director of Energy, commented: “This announcement underlines Viridor’s commitment to ensuring that all waste becomes a useful resource which contributes to the UK economy. Our ERFs put non-recyclable waste to work within sophisticated combined heat and power plants.”

Minister of State for Business, Energy, and Clean Growth Kwasi Kwarteng said: “Heat networks are playing a vital role in decarbonising the way we warm our homes and businesses and that’s why the government has committed £320 million of funding through the Heat Networks Investment Project.”

Make sure you check out the latest Net Hero Podcast episode:

Latest Podcast