Livingstone to turn rubbish into energy
London is to get four new recycling and reprocessing plants which will turn waste into renewable energy. It’s thought that the first one will be ready for building from 2008.
The London Climate Change Agency - part of the London Development Agency (LDA) - will work with London Remade to identify waste projects across London and develop the infrastructure to produce renewable fuels which can be used to supply buildings and transport systems. The new plants will turn organic waste and wood and paper into renewable gas using anaerobic digestion and a process called gasification.
The £225,000 project will also help to deliver the aims of the Mayor of London’s ‘climate change action plan’ to reduce London’s carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2025, 25 years ahead of the government’s target.
Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said; “This is an important first step in developing what could become a major tool in our struggle to prevent catastrophic climate change. To achieve the sort of carbon emission cuts that are necessary in London, we have to move from a society based on huge waste of energy to one that finds every available method to create energy without adding to carbon emissions. Extracting energy from our rubbish, rather than simply dumping it in landfill sites or burning it, is a perfect example.”
Daniel Silverstone, chief executive of London Remade said: “We believe the capital needs £4bn investment in its waste management infrastructure if it is to meet the Mayor’s target of managing 85 per cent of its waste by 2020. The LDA funding is a positive step in helping us to achieve this goal.”
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