Indaver, the European waste management company and owner of Meath Waste to Energy, has awarded contracts worth €586 million to build the Rivenhall Integrated Waste Management Facility in Essex, United Kingdom. The development includes a waste to energy facility, and will treat household, commercial and industrial waste that cannot be recycled.
It will recover energy through the waste treatment process and export enough electricity to supply the power needs of approximately 60,000 households. This announcement coincides with recent developments which could significantly increase Indaver’s investment in Ireland. This includes the recent award of planning permission for an electrolyser to produce hydrogen at Meath Waste to Energy as well as progress in the planning process for Indaver’s plans to build a €160 million, 240,000 tonnes per year waste to energy facility in Ringaskiddy, Cork.
While site preparation has been underway for a number of months in Essex, the construction of the waste to energy part of the facility will start soon, and is on track to begin commercial operations in early 2026.
Indaver has appointed global cleantech company Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI) as lead EPC contractor for the Rivenhall project, alongside Irish civil contractor PJ Hegarty Limited and earth moving contractor Tom Blackwell Limited.
Fabio Dinale, VP Business Development at HZI said: “The UK’s drive for sustainable waste management includes clear recycling targets as well as ensuring that non-recyclable waste does not end up in landfill. However, it’s important that this waste is also appropriately managed to allow energy and valuable materials to be recovered in the process and lower our overall carbon footprint. Modern EfW plants like the Rivenhall IWMF and Energy Centre will make significant contributions to meet these vital social and environmental goals.”
Speaking about this development Seamus Flynn, Managing Director of Indaver Ireland & UK said; “The scale of Indaver’s investment in the UK market could also be realised on the island of Ireland. Ireland lacks sufficient waste treatment infrastructure and should take the opportunity to recover energy from its residual waste. We are currently exporting this waste to other European countries or worst still, continuing to send to landfill. As we transition to net zero carbon and a circular economy, we must develop local sustainable residual waste infrastructure. In terms of our energy ambitions at Meath and elsewhere, while we currently produce electricity for export to the grid, we are exploring decarbonisation projects to provide heat to homes and businesses and to produce hydrogen for use in heat and transport.”
