Leading public service specialists Bevan Brittan LLP have advised the South West Devon Waste Partnership (a partnership between Plymouth City Council, Devon County Council, and Torbay Council) on a groundbreaking Energy from Waste deal that reached financial close on Friday 25th March.
The £230m deal with MVV Umwelt, one of Germany’s foremost energy providers, will see the production of a 25 year residual waste treatment centre to be located in the historic Devonport Dockyard.
The Bevan Brittan team was led by Partner and Waste and Energy specialist Christopher Jarman supported by Scott Townson (Senior Associate, Projects), Alison Buckingham (Partner, Property) and Rose Chipperfield (Solicitor, Projects).
Martin Pollard, Project Manager at SWDWP commenting on the role of Bevan Brittan said “(the Bevan Brittan team) offered incisive and innovative advice throughout the procurement that has enabled the partnership to achieve unique and highly beneficial positions”.
Simmons and Simmons advised MVV Umwelt with a team including Richard Dyton (Partner, Projects) and Ann-Marie Davies (Associate, Projects).
The 245,000 tonne energy from waste plant will burn all residual waste from Plymouth, Devon and Torbay and provide the resultant energy produced to the MOD for use at the Devonport Naval base. As well as benefitting from the sale of the energy, the Partnership will benefit from a range of renewable energy incentives that includes ROCs (Renewable Energy Certificates), LECs (Levy Exemption Certificates) and income under the recently introduced Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), the first financial government funded support scheme for renewable heat of its kind in the world.
Commenting on the project, Bevan Brittan lead Partner Christopher Jarman said “this is a significant and groundbreaking waste project that is a template for future residual waste facilities. The fact that this project combines diversion from landfill with the creation of both heat and power makes it rare in the UK and contributes towards the government's desire both to divert more of our waste and to create more of our power from non fossil fuel sources. The integration of the production of steam for heating with the sale of electricity makes the project highly economically beneficial. We are delighted to have worked with the South West Devon Waste Partnership to help them achieve this."
The South West Devon Waste Partnership project follows hot on the heels on the firm advising Viridor on a 25-year deal to build and operate a £205m energy from waste incinerator at Ardley to treat the County’s residual municipal waste; a project that reached financial close earlier in March.