Solar-powered EfW project unveiled by Norwich environmental specialists

The new shredder has increased the facility’s capacity to create EfW. Using this new recycling technology, the plant is now able to recycle 40 tonnes of material per hour – equating to 80,000 tonnes annually.

The announcement of the project comes following significant investment in PSH Environmental’s waste technology. This includes reinvestment into a 12,000-square-foot building, a 40 per cent extension to the recycling facility’s yard, a new wash plant and the UNTHA XR3000C mobil-e shredder which sits at the centre of the plant.

How does the shredder create EfW?

Utilising solar energy generated on-site by PSH Environmental, the electric-driven UNTHA shredder is capable of processing a variety of challenging waste materials for alternative fuels.

Using a 90mm screen, grade C wood is transformed into a homogenous biomass product destined for a local energy plant. In as little as 15 minutes, this can be interchanged for a 130mm screen allowing PSH to effectively reduce the density of other skip, bulky, and C&I wastes, generating refuse-derived fuel.

The EfW technology is also able to create alternative fuels from more challenging materials previously seen as uneconomical or unshreddable, helping further minimise waste.

Commenting on the project, PSH’s Environmental Director Daniel Parker said: “There will always be waste, and it’s up to us to process it in the most efficient and sustainable way — that is what we are aiming to achieve here at PSH Environmental”.

"Running a 38-tonne shredder entirely off solar power may seem far-fetched, but we’ve proven it’s possible.”

Discussing PSH’s collaboration with Austria-based shredding company UNTHA, Parker added: “We’ve been collaborating with UNTHA UK for almost two years on this project — once you see the machine in action, you know exactly why you need it”.

“From experience, once you press the start button on a shredder, they’re on a route to self-destruct — I mean look at what you’re trying to tackle with them. But with the UNTHA XR3000C, you can see it is built to last. This is high-quality engineering at its finest, and the level of craft that has gone into manufacturing such a robust and refined machine is outstanding.”

Alongside the new EfW technology, PSH is running the ‘Clean Up to Green Up’ campaign in collaboration with the Norfolk Wildlife Trust. Through this, each skip hire sees £1 donated towards restoring a square metre of woodland, with customers able to visit the site of their donations.

Daniel Parker concluded: “We are PSH Environmental and we take our name seriously — we can’t simply talk about caring for the environment, we have to make sure we do. The waste industry is constantly evolving and you cannot stand still. Hopefully, this project shows just how progressive waste processing can be.”