Facility Overview

The Dublin Waste-to-Energy project is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) between Dublin City Council (acting on behalf of the four Dublin Local Authorities) and three private entities: Covanta, a world leader in providing sustainable waste and energy solutions; DIF Capital Partners, a leading global independent fund manager; and MEAG, an asset management organization. The purpose of the PPP is to provide a sustainable treatment of waste that cannot be reused or recycled.

 

Waste Disposal

  • The Dublin Waste to Energy Facility will process at least 600,000 tonnes of solid waste that cannot be sensibly recycled, moving the Dublin region away from dependence on landfilling waste. 
  • Fulfills a key part of the Dublin Regional Waste Management Plan which includes reducing waste, maximising recycling, minimising landfill, and generating energy from residual waste.
  • Eliminates the need to export waste to other countries, enabling the Dublin region to become self-sufficient in managing waste and achieve compliance with EU landfill diversion targets.

Energy Generation

  • Safely converts non-recyclable waste into approximately 60 megawatts of electricity which is exported into Ireland’s national grid – enough to power 100,000 homes. 
  • Avoids the importation of 250,000 tonnes of fossil fuels, such as coal that would be needed to generate the same volume of electricity. 
  • Capable of generating 90 megawatts of district heating - enough heat for 50,000 homes. Covanta will be working with Dublin City Council in exploring ways to deliver this resource to homes or businesses in the vicinity of the facility.

Capacity

  • At least 600,000 tonnes of waste processed annually
  • Electricity for over 100,000 homes
  • Heating potential for 50,000 homes
  • 250,000 fewer tonnes of fossil fuels required for energy generation

State-of-the-art Design and Technology

  • Designed to achieve very high overall energy efficiency and energy recovery, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 
  • Employs state-of-the-art pollution control equipment to scrub and filter emissions to be fully protective of human health and the environment and exceed stringent EU emissions standards.
  • Minimizes water usage by using all the surface water and rain water from the site, as well as reusing water from the neighboring waste water treatment plant. Cooling water will be drawn from the Liffey estuary which reduces the energy requirement for cooling and maximises power output. 

Benefits to the Community

Well-Paying Jobs

  • Provides 100 jobs – 60 full-time at the facility and 35-40 full-time contractor and service support roles.
  • More than 300 jobs were created during construction, of which more than 50 jobs were given to local people. Many have secured permanent employment at the facility.

Economic and Community Gain

  • Ongoing economic stimulus to the Dublin region through the procurement of goods and services.
  • More than €10 million has been allocated for the community to date, with an additional future annual contribution of €600,000 based on the annual throughput of waste.