A new Energy from Waste (EfW) project has donated £50,000 to dozens of North-east groups, charities, and organisations as part of its commitment to its surrounding areas.

Currently under construction in East Tullos Industrial Estate in Aberdeen, the EfW plant is being constructed by Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, and Moray Councils to dispose of non-recyclable waste with Spanish company ACCIONA as the main contractor.

The facility will use a cutting-edge thermal treatment process for the waste and will also be configured as a power plant that will generate electricity. The neighbouring community of Torry will also benefit from the heat energy which will be fed into the nearby heat network. It will take non-recyclable waste from the three council areas and treat it cleanly, while conforming to the latest strict European standards. Upon completion in 2022, the facility will provide a long-term, sustainable solution for non-recyclable municipal solid waste with the ability to process 150,000tonnes of waste per year.

Based in Aberdeen, the Ness Energy project team opened an online application process for charities and community organisations to apply for funding. A total of 56 donations were made to different organisations across the three council areas, with 26 in Aberdeen, 18 in Aberdeenshire and 12 in Moray. Focusing on various sectors, the receiving organisations included activist and community groups, mental health and health care charities, sporting institutions and environmental associations.

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Aberdeen City Council operational delivery convener Councillor Philip Bell said: "It is fantastic to see the significant number of charities and organisations which are benefitting from Acciona's community benefits programme.

"We welcome this financial support to them and we would encourage others to apply in the next round of funding."

Cllr Peter Argyle, chair of Aberdeenshire Council's Infrastructure Services Committee, said: "I very much welcome the financial support provided by Acciona to so many deserving community groups across the north-east and would encourage more organisations to apply for funding when the scheme opens up again next year."

Chair of Moray Council's Economic Growth, Housing and Environmental Sustainability committee, Cllr Graham Leadbitter, said: "Acciona are delivering on a waste project that will radically change how we deal with waste in Moray and across the North-east. As part of the contract, they are committed to a range of initiatives including educational activity, training and apprenticeship opportunities and wider community benefit including through the distribution of grants.

"Those grants are already having a very positive impact for local groups with more grants available next year. This is a very welcome community benefit from the project and I very much welcome the work by Acciona in financing, promoting and administering the grants."

This action is part of ACCIONA's commitment to support the local area. As part of this commitment, the project will open the applications for a further year and, once operational, it has plans in place to run student placements and apprenticeship programmes to help educate the next generation for waste management and sustainable energy.