The South Clyde Energy Centre is an Energy from Waste facility currently under construction on land adjacent to Bogmoor Road, North Cardonald, Glasgow. Every year, the centre will recover energy by processing around 350,000 tonnes of residual and commercial waste that would otherwise go to landfill or be exported. This residual waste will have already been sorted to remove valuable recyclables, such as glass, metal, plastic, paper and card.

It is a clean and safe way of treating waste that cannot economically or practically be recycled.

Scotland generates over 10 million tonnes of waste each year - this includes waste from households, businesses, and public services. At the end of 2025, the Scottish Government are introducing a landfill ban, meaning biodegradable municipal waste (BMW), can no longer be landfilled in Scotland. Current SEPA figures show 1.81 million tonnes of waste was sent to landfill in 2023 - that's 19.0% of all waste generated.

With landfill no longer being an option, facilities like the South Clyde Energy Centre will provide much needed waste processing capacity within Scotland. It will also recover energy safely and cleanly from waste to generate electricity, which will then be used by homes and businesses.

Once operational the facility will:

• Generate up to 45 MWe (megawatts electric) of energy, enough to power the equivalent of around 90,000 homes.
• Provide approximately 500 construction jobs and around 40 new, permanent jobs once the site is operational.
• Create supply chain opportunities for a wide range of local suppliers.
• Each year, the centre will divert around 350,000 tonnes of residual waste which would otherwise go to landfill or be exported.
• Help deliver the Scottish Government's landfill ban, which comes into effect at the end of 2025.
• Have the potential to supply nearby commercial and industrial users with the surplus heat generated.
• Enable residues from the combustion process (Incinerator Bottom Ash) to produce secondary aggregates for the production of concrete products.
• Contribute to Scotland and the UK's drive to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation.

Yes. You can view the full details of the planning application on the Glasgow City Council website. The planning consent reference number is: 12/01293/DC

The original planning consent was granted to Peel Environmental in 2012. Fortum Glasgow acquired the site from Peel in 2019. In December 2022, the project applied to Glasgow City Council for a variation to the existing planning consent. This variation application is in regard to some small design changes to the main building which will not affect the overall visual impact or height of the facility in any way.

The centre is being developed by Fortum Glasgow Ltd, which is jointly owned by Fortum and Gren.

Fortum is a Nordic energy company. Fortum generates and delivers reliable energy to its customers and the Nordic energy system while at the same time helping industries decarbonise their processes and grow. The company's core operations comprise efficient and best-in-class low-carbon power generation, customer services, and heating and cooling. Fortum's power generation is 99% from renewable or nuclear sources with one of the lowest specific CO2-emissions in Europe.

Gren develops and delivers energy solutions, ranging from sustainable district heating, to renewable and industrial energy, to meet the daily needs of its customers and communities. With an extensive track record in the Baltics, Gren entered the UK market in May 2023 when it acquired a network of combined heat and power, energy from waste and biomass assets.

Gren's core focus is on developing long-term infrastructure solutions that can serve anchor institutions, unlock private investment, reduce energy bills and rapidly increase the development of district heating infrastructure across the UK. It harnesses technology, already used extensively in towns and cities in mainland Europe, to deliver the most cost-effective route to decarbonisation for urban areas.

In 2019, Fortum Glasgow acquired the site from Peel Environmental, which had been granted planning permission for the facility in 2012. The disused, industrial site, which had previously been used for the storage and processing of inert wastes and aggregates, is brownfield land and is very close to both the M8 and A8.

An Energy from Waste facility is a sustainable method of dealing with waste that would otherwise go to landfill. Rather than burying waste in the ground where it emits greenhouse gases and leaches toxic substances into the soil, waste is instead treated as a resource that can be used to create power and heat.

Yes. Energy from Waste facilities are not a new concept and there are many similar facilities already operating throughout Scotland and the UK, with 63 operational facilities across the UK in 2024.

No. The facility will process the waste left over after all commercially viable recyclable material has been removed. South Clyde Energy Centre will transform nonrecyclable waste from Glasgow and other areas of the country into low-carbon heat and power that will benefit local homes, hospitals, universities, and industries. This not only ensures responsible waste management but also contributes meaningfully to Glasgow's broader sustainability and climate goals

AFRY has been appointed Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM) consultant for the project and will provide services for site supervision throughout the construction and start-up of the project. Kanadevia Inova (KVI) will design, build and commission the grate and boiler for the new facility. Doosan Skoda Power has been commissioned to supply the steam turbine, including the air-cooled condenser, and Luehr Filter will supply the flue gas treatment plant.

During the construction of the facility, we aim to source goods and services from local suppliers wherever possible. For more information on becoming a potential supplier, please visit https://www.southclydeenergycentre.co.uk/#procurement.

Construction and demolition work started towards the end of 2022. The plant is expected to be operational in late 2026.

Construction operations will generally take place between the following working hours:

07:00-19:00 Monday to Friday
07:00-12:00 Saturday

It is possible that some quieter construction activities may take place outside these hours.

A detailed transport assessment was undertaken for the original planning application. This assessment showed that the traffic generated by the facility would not have any significant effects on the local highway network in terms of capacity or safety. Transport assessments such as these take into consideration staff cars as well as deliveries and any other construction related traffic.

An HGV routing strategy has been developed, so that all HGV traffic associated with the facility must use the A8 corridor to reach junctions 25 and 26 of the M8. All construction contractors will be required to abide by this routing strategy and compliance will be monitored.

HGV movements will not take place outside normal working hours without prior agreement from Glasgow City Council.

It is our aim to be a good neighbour, establishing good relationships with the community and local businesses. One of the key ways we will do this is via a Local Liaison Committee. We will also keep this website updated with the latest construction news and, if you have any concerns, you can contact us via email: info@southclydeenergycentre.co.uk.

There will be strict limits on noise during the construction phase. We will always do our best to minimise any disturbance and, whenever possible, we will communicate with our neighbours and update the website in advance of any potential noisy works. If you have any concerns, please contact us via email: info@southclydeenergycentre.co.uk

Before starting work on site, all staff will undergo a comprehensive health and safety induction, which will include a general overview of site specific environmental issues, as well as details on how these should be managed.

There will be regular environmental briefings, and toolbox talks for all staff to ensure everyone on site has the most up-to-date information. These will be supplemented with environmental bulletins and 'newsflashes' in amenity and office areas.

All visitors to site will be provided with an appropriate health and safety induction. The site will also have a site emergency plan in case of a serious incident.

Our intention is to maximise the use of local labour wherever it is possible to do so. We aim to recruit skilled people from the local area, notwithstanding the specialist nature of some of the equipment and machinery utilised by the project.

If you are interested in a role during the construction of the South Clyde Energy Centre, please submit your CV via email: info@southclydeenergycentre.co.uk

Once construction is complete there will be around 40 new, permanent operational roles at the facility. These roles will be advertised and recruited locally by the operator of the new facility. Recruitment has begun for these permanent roles and details can be found here South Clyde Energy Centre Jobs | Energy Jobs Scotland

The number of workers on site will fluctuate over time but it is anticipated there will be around 500 jobs during the construction phase. The types of jobs will range widely across different trades, with different skills being required at different times.

If you are interested in potential employment opportunities during the construction phase, please submit your CV via email: info@southclydeenergycentre.co.uk

There will be multiple supply chain opportunities for local businesses throughout the construction phase. Many subcontractors will be required during the construction of the facility, ranging from canteen services to engineering and construction, office materials, transport services and accommodation.

Many elements of the project, including a very high proportion of the civils works, will be predominantly delivered by UK companies. However, some aspects of the project will be sourced from outside of the UK.

The technology used in Energy from Waste facilities is not always available in the UK and there is often a lack of industrial manufacturing capacity for the type of components required. Consequently, the design of the plant and many of the technical components will come from specialist companies outside the UK.

There will, however, be opportunities for suppliers to maintain and service the facility throughout its operational life.

Waste that cannot be economically or practically recycled will be transported by enclosed HGVs to the South Clyde Energy Centre where it will be stored within a bunker.

Waste from the bunker is put into a fuel hopper by a crane and transferred onto a moving grate where the waste is treated at high temperatures.

Hot air created from the combustion process passes through a boiler, converting water into high pressure steam. This steam drives a highly efficient turbine to produce electricity.

The electricity generated is exported to the local electricity distribution system to be used by homes and businesses. Subject to a suitable local offtaker, some of the steam created by the process could be used to heat nearby homes or businesses.

By-products such as ash and metals can be reused and recycled. For example, ash will be recycled for use as an aggregate in construction.

All emissions from the process are continuously monitored and, where required, treated to meet strict air quality standards as set out within the site's environmental permit.

Operational staff in the control room will monitor and manage the whole process end-to-end to ensure a safe, efficient and compliant operation.

The facility will generate 45 MW of electricity, enough to power the equivalent of around 70,000 homes. It is also possible to generate heat that can be used by nearby homes or businesses.

The facility will accept post-recycled, pre-treated, non-hazardous residential, commercial and industrial waste.

The South Clyde Energy Centre will be subject to a strict environmental permit issued and regulated by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). We will use advanced controls and continuous emissions monitoring technology to make sure air emissions meet stringent modern standards, as set out in the environmental permit.

As part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) prepared to support the planning application, a detailed assessment of the potential effects on air quality was carried out, looking at emissions from the stack, as well as the impact of HGVs visiting the facility.

During operation, the facility will use CEMS – Continuous Emissions Monitoring System – which will use probes in the flue gas stack to continuously monitor the flue gas emissions. The facility will operate under the strict permit conditions set out by SEPA, which has legal powers to halt operation of the plant and / or prosecute any organisation that is not operating within the conditions set out in the facility's environmental permit. Energy from Waste facilities are not allowed to begin operations unless they can meet the conditions set out in the environmental permit.

No. The environmental impact of the facility has been carefully assessed through an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the facility will not harm the local habitat or the wildlife that use it.

No. The facility's design means that almost all activity will take place indoors and therefore any noise impact on the wider area will be insignificant.

Background noise monitoring has been carried out and the data used to assess the potential noise effects of the facility, in line with published standards and guidance. This information was provided as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) which accompanied the planning application.

A detailed transport assessment was undertaken for the original planning application. This assessment showed that the traffic generated by the facility would not have any significant effects on the local highway network in terms of capacity or safety. Transport assessments such as these take into consideration staff cars as well as deliveries and any other operations-related traffic.

An HGV routing strategy will be developed so that all HGV traffic associated with the facility must use the A8 corridor to reach junctions 25 and 26 of the M8. This HGV routing strategy will be enforced by a range of monitoring and enforcement measures.

As well as creating local jobs and investment, we intend to establish a Local Liaison Committee which will gather feedback and opinions from local residents and provide information to the community during the construction phase. It will meet on a regular basis, with the aim of ensuring the project proceeds with minimal impact and disruption to the local community.

The carbon impacts of the South Clyde Energy Centre have been comprehensively assessed. Compared with landfilling, the South Clyde Energy Centre is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 67 kt CO2e per year.

South Clyde Energy Centre also has the potential to be retrofitted with Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) technology in the future, aligning it with the requirements of the Scottish Government's Climate Change Plan.

Every step is taken to minimise the likelihood of odour including:

• Waste will be delivered in covered vehicles and deposited indoors.
• Fast acting shutter doors will be fitted to the tipping hall.
• Waste will be stored inside: i.e. within enclosed buildings.
• The waste reception and tipping hall / waste bunker, will be kept under negative pressure by extracting air using an induced draft (ID) fan. This air will be drawn into the furnace and into the combustion process.
• An odour abatement system (also known as an odour extraction system) utilising carbon filtration will be used for periods when the plant is shut down for maintenance or other outage events.

The South Clyde Energy Centre will be regulated by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), which uses strict regulations to ensure that the operator controls and monitors emissions and operations on a constant basis. SEPA has legal powers that enable it to halt operation of a facility and / or prosecute any organisation that is not operating within the conditions set out in the facility's environmental permit.

In addition, the monitoring system includes safeguards to halt operation in the event that the conditions of the environmental permit are not likely to be met. Facilities are not allowed to begin operating unless they can meet - and continue to prove they are meeting - the conditions set out in the environmental permit.

The SEPA will enforce safety standards for the lifetime of the facility. SEPA carries out regular checks on the facility, some of them unannounced. It also has the power to close the facility if it believes it is not operating correctly. On site, emissions from the stack will be monitored continuously to ensure they comply with the emissions levels set within the environmental permit and emissions data will be collected as part of the conditions of the environmental permit.

If the emission levels start to rise, it will be detected by the Continuous Emissions Monitoring System (CEMS) and the Distributed Control System (DCS), and operators will make adjustments to the plant's operations to maintain compliance with the environmental permit.

The main components are water vapour, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and oxygen, with small trace elements of pollutants that are below the limits set out in the environmental permit.

While this is not a renewable facility, it recovers energy from waste that would otherwise be sent to landfill or exported.

An Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) assesses the environmental impact of a development and considers all potential effects on the human and natural environment. If the potential impact is negative, developers have to undertake measures to reduce or offset the impact.

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