Energy Recovery Facility

Sheffield has been recovering energy from rubbish for many years. In the 1970s the waste incinerator was connected to a small network of underground pipes to deliver heat to local homes. In the 1980s, the network was expanded and the Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) developed to generate electricity.

This new ERF is a large incinerator plant operated by Veolia which was opened in 2007 designed to cope with the amount of rubbish created in the city and to meet new stricter environmental legislation regarding emissions. The ERF is designed to handle up to 225,000 tonnes of household rubbish a year. It also generates up to 21MW of electricity to the National Grid. That is enough to power more than 25,000 homes. Up to 45MW of heat is supplied to over 140 buildings connected to the District Energy Network which includes homes, leisure centres, offices, theatres and university buildings.

For more details see: www.veolia.co.uk/sheffield/sites/g/files/dvc1851/files/document/2014/11/Sheffield_ERF_Brochure.pdf