Environment & Planning
The Dublin Waste to Energy project received planning approval from An Bord Pleanála in November 2007 subject to thirteen conditions including community gain, traffic control and environmental protection. The EPA published its draft decision in November 2007 with a final decision and waste licence issued in December 2008. The key conditions as they relate to the local community are listed below. In addition to planning permission and a waste licence, the Commission for Energy Regulation executed both the Authorisation to Construct and the Authorisation to Generate in respect of the Project in September 2009. Please click for a comprehensive list and copies of An Bord Pleanála's decision including the Inspector's Report and the Environmental Protection Agency's decision.
Community Gain
As part of An Bord Pleanála's planning approval, a Community Liaison Committee will liaise between Dublin City Council and the local community. It will monitor the operations of the plant and distribute the Community Gain Fund.
The Committee will have 10 members: an independent chairperson, three local community representatives, three elected members of Dublin City Council, two officials of Dublin City Council and one representative from the operators of the plant.
The fund will consist of a once-off lump sum of approximately €8 million and an annual contribution of €1 per tonne of waste accepted for thermal treatment. The contributions will be used to provide environmental, recreational and community facilities which will be of benefit to the local community as determined by the Community Liaison Committee.
Electricity and District Heating
The plant will convert up to 600,000 tonnes of waste each year into energy which will be fed into the national grid providing enough electricity to power up to 50,000 homes. It will also provide hot water for district heating schemes in the area for up to a further 60,000 homes.
District Heating
The Dublin District Heating Network will be a brand new energy utility in Dublin, similar to gas or electricity. It will use water to transport heat to areas connected to the network and ultimately provide a citywide modern and competitively priced energy source providing space heating, water heating and cooling.
The development of the Dublin District Heating Network will initially concentrate on the Dublin Docklands redevelopment area. The concentrated nature of this area of new development and its proximity to the Poolbeg WTE plant, as a provider of Combined Heat and Power, make it ideal as an initial development area. Dublin City Council is currently in consultation with Spencer Dock to supply heat to the new development. Preparations have also been made for a river crossing via the Liffey Service Tunnel.
Traffic control
When the plant is operational, waste deliveries will be via the M50 and the Dublin Port Tunnel, except for waste arising from the central area. Fixed routes have been introduced to limit the impact on residential areas in the vicinity and along access routes to the development.
Environmental protection
Dublin Waste to Energy Ltd will establish and maintain an Environmental Management System to provide ongoing assessment, recording and reporting of matters affecting the environment when the plant is operational.
This system will enable Dublin Waste to Energy Ltd to provide public awareness and communications programmes giving real time data from on-line process monitoring of the facility via the internet. For a full list of monitoring and control measures please consult the Environmental Protection Agency licence.