Solid recovered fuels (SRF) are an alternative fuel derived mainly from C&I wastes. They are
an effective solution to reducing landfilled waste & generating energy, two major UK
government priorities. The UK currently sends ~60% of its waste to landfill but due to new
EU regulations more must be done to increase reuse, recycling & recovery or the UK could
face annual fines of £182.M pa. The UK is facing numerous challenges in developing secure
and sustainable energy with volatile gas & oil prices, aging nuclear capacity & rising demand,
at a time when the UK must reduce CO2 emissions & adopt renewable energy. Energy from
waste (EfW) can overcome these challenges & deliver up to 20% of the UKs Energy needs.
Current SRFs are low value (>20MJ/kg), inconsistent (fluctuating emissions & energy output)
& low density. The EfW infrastructure in the UK requires better SRFs to remain profitable,
reduce operational costs of emissions & plant shutdowns & exploit the benefits of producing
EfW such as a large supply (~26Mtonnes of potential SRF available UK) & contribution to
renewable energy targets (20% by 2020).
Paperback Collection & Recycling(PCR) aim to develop a novel, high value, consistent &
energy dense SRF that will deliver a valuable fuel to the EfW market. PCR will develop both
a suite of novel, market desired prototype SRFs & a licensable processing methodology for
the target market which consists of Mid-level EfW facilities and materials recovery facilities.
The results will enable the target market to provide stable, renewable energy which can
contribute to lower emissions & decentralisation.
PCR’s novel SRFs & process methodology will be developed over an 18month development
of prototype project & will enter the waste treatment market (worth ~£1.68bn) in February
2016. The project will contribute to revolutionising SRFs from a waste treatment method to a
commoditised fuel comparable to coal(calorific value >20MJ/kg with 1/3 less Co2 emissions).