Launched by Peel L&P, the new Peel NRE division will focus on renewable energy projects in the North West and across the UK. Tony McDonough reports

Property giant Peel L&P is launching a new division with the aim of significantly increasing its stake in the renewable energy sector.

Peel L&P is the developer behind the multi-billion pound Liverpool and Wirral Waters projects on either side of the River Mersey. In Liverpool Waters it has already pushing forward with a low carbon district heating system to service businesses and up to 9,000 homes.

Now it is establishing Peel NRE, a division which brings together the already established Peel Energy, Peel Environmental and Peel Water teams. It’s focus will be on the development of renewable energy projects.

Peel NRE builds on Peel L&P’s 20 years’ experience of delivering energy projects with plans to secure 300MW of additional renewable energy through wind and solar over the next five years. This includes taking forward proposals for its Beaw Field and Mossy Hill wind farms on the Shetland Islands.

READ MORE: Public realm works set to begin at Wirral Waters

Its flagship 54-hectare Protos resource and energy hub in Cheshire is developing a cluster of low carbon energy generation, supporting industry through local networks as well being at the heart of the Net Zero North West industrial decarbonisation cluster.

Protos will also be the home of pioneering technology to maximise the recycling and reuse of plastic.  An important part of this will be the UK’s first plastic-to-hydrogen facility using technology provided by Powerhouse Energy.

With plans to develop more facilities like this across the country which lead to the delivery of around 154 tonnes of sustainable hydrogen production per day – the equivalent of being able to power 396,600 cars or 12,320 articulated HGVs per day.

Last month, Protos also celebrated the start on site of Covanta Energy’s 49MW energy recovery facility that will generate low carbon electricity from up to 400,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste.

To help provide the infrastructure needed to meet the Government’s target to remove petrol and diesel cars from the country’s roads by 2030, Peel NRE is exploring opportunities to develop a nationally significant rapid electric vehicle charging network.

The further development of its construction waste recycling business was strengthened with planning permission granted for its Port Salford soil washing plant last month. This will enable soils and excavation materials to be recycled and reduce the amount of virgin materials used in Peel L&P’s own developments.

The business also manages 124km of waterways, most notably the Manchester Ship Canal, Bridgewater Canal, River Medway and provides water for drinking and industrial use.

Peel NRE’s specialisms are waste to value, district heating, renewable energy (onshore wind and solar), materials management including, soil washing and recycled aggregates, asset management including quarries, water, electric vehicle charging and Protos.

Myles Kitcher, who has headed up Peel L&P Environmental for the past 14 years will lead the new business as executive director. He said: “Recent events across the world have put even more emphasis on the need for us to look after our planet and find ways to help to tackle climate change. The Government’s recent Energy White Paper presents lots of change and opportunity ahead for the industry.

“Peel NRE is already under way on a number of projects to help drive forward the nation’s clean growth and a circular economy whereby we reuse and recycle as many products and materials for as long as possible.

“We have years of experience and can scale up our projects and partnership work to help the Government achieve a green industrial revolution and support local authorities to meet regional climate emergency targets.”