Alder BioInsights News Review: Bioenergy, July 2025
Kon Drousiotis
Foreword brief
The energy-from-waste (EfW) sector of the UK is facing setbacks as well as developments which are sparking debates, particularly concerning incineration’s economic and environmental impacts. In Scotland, 2023 saw a sharp 20.2% increase in EfW incineration, reaching a record 1.74 million tonnes, despite concerns that this rise could undermine more sustainable alternatives like reuse and recycling. The sector also faces operational and financial volatility, as highlighted by the abrupt shutdown of Aberdeen’s new £150 million North East Scotland Shared Energy-from-Waste (NESS) plant due to numerous faults, forcing waste back to landfill. Similarly, in England, Teesside’s large-scale EfW project, the Tees Valley Energy Recovery Facility (TVERF), faces escalating costs and increasing public scrutiny, with local councils debating financial commitments and demanding greater transparency on the incinerator plans.
Read more about these and other news stories by checking our Newsletter in the PDF below.
