Westfield Energy Recovery Facility Reaches Operational Takeover Milestone

Construction Complete and Operations Begin

Viridor and Equitix, joint owners of the new Westfield Energy Recovery Facility (WERF) in Fife, are proud to announce that commercial operations will now begin at the facility – this follows the successful completion of the construction and commissioning phases, carried out by Kanadevia Inova (formerly Hitachi Zosen Inova).

This milestone marks the official handover of the plant from construction to full-time operation and is a significant moment in the project’s timeline. Under a long-term operations and maintenance contract, Kanadevia Inova’s operations team will manage the day-to-day running of the facility on behalf of the project company, Westfield Energy Recovery Limited (WERL).

Built on the site of the former Westfield opencast coal mine in central Scotland, WERF is a state-of-the-art Energy from Waste (EfW) facility which represents a major step forward in delivering Scotland’s circular economy ambitions. Once fully operational, the facility will process up to 250,000 tonnes of residual, commercial and industrial waste annually, diverting it from landfill and using it to generate up to 24MW of reliable, baseload electricity for the local electricity grid – enough to power c. 70,000 homes and businesses.

Speaking on behalf of Viridor, Jonathan Heneghan, Director of Capital Projects, commented: Westfield ERF is a fantastic state-of-the-art facility, which will have a significant positive impact on the local economy. It is a monumental achievement which has involved hundreds of people over the last few years and will continue to provide further opportunities for local businesses. My thanks go out to everyone who has contributed to this project as we now go proudly into the operational phase.”

The three-year construction phase of WERF brought significant economic benefits to the region, with over 3,000 people working on-site throughout the build and a peak workforce of more than 540 construction specialists.

Now in operation, the facility has created over 30 permanent jobs and will continue to offer long-term procurement opportunities for local suppliers and contractors – supporting the regional economy for decades to come. Importantly, this work will contribute directly to Scotland’s climate goals by avoiding methane emissions from landfill and reducing dependence on fossil-fuel power.

WERF is one of the UK’s most efficient energy recovery facilities, featuring Kanadevia Inova’s proprietary reciprocating grate technology, high-efficiency boilers, and best-in-class flue gas cleaning systems. Designed to achieve high annual availability, the facility will operate to the highest environmental and emissions standards set out in its permit.

“We are thrilled to announce the successful completion and commissioning of the Westfield ERF, a significant greenfield investment for Equitix. This achievement exemplifies the power of strong partnerships in creating value and making a positive impact locally,” said Hugh Crossley, CEO of Equitix.

“We extend our thanks to everyone who contributed to this major milestone, especially our partners Kanadevia Inova, Viridor, and Brockwell Energy. Westfield ERF is set to play a crucial role in advancing Scotland’s net zero goals by reducing methane emissions, generating green energy, and stimulating economic growth in the region.”

Together, Viridor and Equitix are committed to delivering essential waste infrastructure that supports the UK’s transition to net zero, enabling safe, clean and reliable waste treatment that recovers energy and resources from non-recycled materials.