The commercial rubbish thrown away has taken many resources to extract or grow, refine or package and transport for sale in shops. Therefore it is not just the product, packaging or food we have wasted but all the energy used to create the goods in the first place that we need to recover as well.

Put simply we are throwing away the very things that could be recycled to make new products and recover energy that reduces our need to burn coal or other fossil fuels to create electricity. Both these activities combine at the Raynesway Resource Park to help us fight global warming by reducing the amount of greenhouse gases we produce.

This inextricable link between energy and waste is the reason behind the concept of Resource Parks. By linking two such important activities – resource recovery and low carbon energy production – the Resource Park is able to offer the community economically sustainable employment. As previously mentioned the presence of the Resource Park on such a large commercial development will not only reduce the impact of these businesses on the environment but it will also be a unique selling point with which to attract businesses. In these difficult economic times dependable low carbon energy and reduced waste management costs are attractive to many who may wish to locate on the wider development.

The key benefits of the development are bulleted below;

Energy
The realities of our dependence on fossil fuels for energy and our unsustainable consumption of the earth's natural resources have long been understood. However, it is not until recently that they have started to impact on everyday life. No one can miss the increase in costs such as petrol, electricity and gas. As consumers we have all experienced dramatic rises in energy costs which have directly contributed to rising inflation and impacts on the ability of the companies that provide jobs to compete and stay in business. These and climate change issues dominate the news headlines wherever you look, and the Government's announcement that £100bn will be spent to tackle climate change and increase renewable energy illustrates the importance of switching from our dependence on fossil fuels. Indeed Derbyshire has its own target for the production of renewable energy. The Raynesway Resource Park will satisfy 19% of this target.

Set against the uncertain costs and availability of energy, the occupiers of the Derby Commercial Park will have the potential of security of price and supply and for this to also provide major carbon savings can only be a very attractive option.

The second phase of development – the Area for Advanced Energy Production (AEP) – is an exciting and important part of the overall Resource Park. This part of the building (circa 100,000 sq feet) will be safeguarded to commercialise technologies that can improve the energy efficiency of the phase 1 process directly and open up other uses of the fuel, for example enhancing or replacing fossil fuels in road transport. Many of these technologies are ready for commercialisation but need a low carbon initial fuel source. Waste that would have otherwise gone to landfill is such a source. This will of course create further jobs at the Resource Park directly, but will also enhance the general economy by providing businesses in the area low carbon fuel sources not widely commercially available elsewhere.

Waste
Each year in the UK we throw away a staggering 70 million tonnes of rubbish. Half of this (circa 39 Million tonnes) is produced by businesses working hard to supply us all with the things we need.

In fact the latest figures shown that in Derbyshire waste created by businesses totals some 1.5 Million tonnes per annum.

For the purposes of Waste Management Derby Unitary Authority is part of the Derbyshire plan. As part of the latest reforms to the planning system Development Plan documents are under preparation to plan for the future waste management needs of Derby and Derbyshire. However, there is a great deal of work that has been undertaken to date which demonstrates that there is less than 6 years left before current landfills are exhausted.

Derby City is a commercial and industrial regional centre. Along with this industry come the necessary by-products of that commercial activity. Those by-products include waste and the need for energy resources that limit pollution. There are already significant strides being made to reduce the dependence on landfill for household waste streams which is driven by legislation and targets placed on local authorities. Especially in these difficult times costs of waste management and energy are factors affecting the viability of businesses. This proposal will allow businesses located on the new Commercial Park and the wider Derby area to mitigate cost increases and take advantage of dependable and sustainable energy supplies.

 

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