Glasgow’s South Clyde Energy Centre, situated on the city’s outskirts, is poised to revolutionize waste management and power generation in Scotland. The cutting-edge energy-from-waste facility, spearheaded by Fortum Glasgow Ltd, promises to divert up to 350,000 tonnes of residual, non-recyclable waste from landfills annually while generating sufficient electricity to power approximately 70,000 homes. This initiative aligns with the Scottish Government’s commitment to curbing biodegradable waste sent to landfills.
Construction of the South Clyde Energy Centre commenced early last year, kicking off with site preparations and progressing with piling and ground engineering works in July. Fortum Glasgow Ltd, a joint venture between Fortum (Fortum Recycling & Waste) and Green Investment Group (GIG), enlisted Skanska’s piling and ground engineering business, Cementation Skanska, for the design and construction of the facility’s deep foundations. This project marks Cementation Skanska’s most extensive piling endeavor in Scotland since its inception over a century ago.
Under a NEC3 Option B contract, Cementation Skanska collaborated with Fortum Glasgow Ltd, providing enhanced cost certainty, transparency, and an efficient mechanism for managing changes. This collaborative approach facilitated flexibility during the design phase, enabling consideration of various design options while ensuring clarity on associated costs.
Emma Haddow, Director of Cementation Skanska Scotland, highlighted the benefits of the contract model, emphasizing its adaptability during the design phase. The partnership between the parties involved multiple value engineering workshops to optimize the design concept while meeting stringent technical requirements.
Despite encountering challenging ground conditions characterized by variable rock strengths and alluvial layers, the Cementation team devised innovative solutions to stabilize the ground for pile construction. The utilization of rotary bored piles, Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) piles, and combi walls enabled the installation of over 900 of the total 1,400 piles, with a robust approach to addressing the site’s unique geological complexities.
The project also embraces technological advancements, including the implementation of CemOptics thermal integrity profiling for pile defect detection and drones for rig mast inspections, enhancing operational efficiency and safety.
Scheduled for commissioning in 2026, the South Clyde Energy Centre represents a significant stride toward sustainable waste management and clean energy production in Glasgow. Ilkka Toijala, Head of Fortum UK, expressed satisfaction with Skanska’s performance and collaboration throughout the project, underscoring the shared commitment to realizing a cleaner, more sustainable future for the city.
The South Clyde Energy Centre, jointly owned by Fortum and Green Investment Group, epitomizes Scotland’s transition toward a circular economy, harnessing the potential of waste as a valuable resource for energy generation.