Work powering ahead of schedule on multi-million pound waste energy plant to supply Walsall homes

Groundworks have already been completed in preparation for the new Encyclis plant which is being built on former derelict land in Fryers Road in the Beechdale area of the town and construction is now underway.

When it is complete the state-of-the art facility is expected to use combustion technology to convert about 480,000 tonnes of waste annually into enough electricity to power around 90,000 homes. It will also supply utility company National Grid.  

In a statement the company said: "The construction of Walsall Energy Recovery Facility has continued to progress well over the past 12 months. Preparatory groundworks at the site in Fryers Road are nearing completion and, as a result, our main contractor was able to begin construction ahead of schedule.

 "The next phase of the construction works will take around three years. Over that period, the project will support more than 300 jobs and provide a significant boost to the local supply chain.

"The regeneration of this former industrial site will have wide economic benefits for the region and supports the ambition of the West Midlands to become a catalyst of green growth. 

"We have held positive discussions with Walsall Council about the skilled jobs that will be created when this modern energy-from-waste facility moves into operations. We will continue to work closely with the local authority on this and other aspects of the project.

"The purpose of the facility is to provide vital infrastructure to safely and sustainably process the unrecyclable waste produced by homes and business in the region.

"In doing so the facility will generate base load electricity to support the National Grid and we are advancing plans to export low-carbon heat that could form the basis of a district heating network in the area.

"Our state-of-the-art process is designed to recover every possible resource from the waste we receive, including metals that are extracted for recycling and residual ash that can be converted into aggregates for the construction industry. We contribute to the circular economy of the future by ensuring that waste is not wasted but put to good use for the benefit of society as a whole."

Encyclis attracted support from the West Midlands Combined Authority and Walsall Council which is pumping £1.5 billion into regeneration schemes across the borough. The company is also due to develop a carbon capture plant in Cheshire.