Teesside University to deliver courses in producing energy from waste

Teesside University has teamed up with a leading recycling and resource management firm to help its workforce learn the best ways of producing energy from waste.

In partnership with SITA UK, the University has developed a Higher National Certificate in Energy from Waste to meet the growing demand for more sustainable means of energy production.

The HNC will be studied by SITA UK employees who staff the company’s Energy from Waste facilities around the country, including the plant at nearby Billingham, where it employs over 100 people.

Energy from Waste is the process of recovering energy in the form of electricity and/or heat from waste. An Energy from Waste facility is a power station which burns fuel, in this case residual waste, to generate electricity. Residual waste is the waste that remains once all practical recycling has taken place.

As well as minimising the amount of waste which is sent to landfill, Energy from Waste plants also reduce the need for power generated by burning fossil fuels.

Although Energy from Waste plants have been used for several decades on the continent, they are still relatively new in this country. However, with the increased demand for more renewable forms of energy production they are becoming more prevalent, leading SITA UK to develop the HNC with Teesside University.

SITA UK Technical Training Manager Robin Walsh said: 'We turned to Teesside University as we wanted to develop a fully-assessed course for our employees.

'We wanted something that was unique to our business and has the flexibility to cope with the changes in the industry.

'As well as training people who currently staff our existing Energy from Waste plants it will also enable employees in other areas of our business to be able to develop careers in energy.'

The HNC will be studied over two years with the majority of the course being delivered by Flexible Open Learning, which will enable participants to study irrespective of their location.

The course combines theory and practical work with the focus being on industrial applications.

The first cohort of the HNC Energy from Waste programme will begin studying in the summer.

Fiona Smith, Business Development Manager for Teesside University’s School of Science & Engineering, said: 'SITA UK is one of the world’s leading recycling and resource management companies and we are delighted that it has chosen Teesside University to help train its staff.

'As a society it is very important that we try and do more with waste and find alternatives to burning fossil fuels for our power needs.

'SITA UK’s Energy from Waste plants represent a fantastic example of an alternative method of producing energy which, not only reduces our reliance on burning fossil fuels, but also reduces the amount of waste which is sent to landfill.

'We are very pleased to assist them with this important work.'

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