The first phase of the Thainstone Energy Park project – which focused on the development of its Integrated Resource Recovery Facility (IRF) – is nearly complete.
The IRF can receive up to 200,000 tonnes of municipal and industrial residual waste that would otherwise be sent to landfill and transform it into sustainable fuel.
The project owners are currently in discussion with institutional investors to secure funding for the construction of the plant.
Sending biodegradable waste (from food, paper, and gardens) to landfill will be banned in Scotland from 2025. Residual waste facilities such as those at Thainstone Energy Park are needed to help manage this surplus waste and meet Scottish Government targets.
If enough facilities are not developed in time, up to 1.2 million tonnes of residual waste may have to be landfilled, managed, or exported outside of Scotland.
The project owners are currently in discussion with institutional investors to secure funding for the construction of the plant.
The project is ready for construction to begin on its Integrated Resource Recovery Facility (IRF). Full planning consent and grid connection agreements are in place.
Agile Energy aims to turn the Thainstone Energy Park into a world-leading hub for low-carbon energy generation and business operations. The project's ambition includes using the power plant to create new opportunities and employment through attracting complementary businesses.
As well as helping to meet government targets and diverting waste from landfill, the IRF at Thainstone Energy Park will be able to export around 30 megawatts of electricity – enough to power approximately 50,000 homes.
The facility would also have the potential to supply heat to at least 32,000 local homes and businesses through a district heat network and the distribution of heat batteries.
Last updated: 26 March 2026
Future phases of the project will look to implement a variety of initiatives at the park. These include a district heat network and data centre, plus facilities for low-carbon hydrogen production, horticulture, growing warm-water prawns, and carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS).
These concepts are all in varying stages of development and will offer further opportunity for investment and economic impact in Aberdeenshire.
The construction of the power plant will create up to 300 jobs at its peak. Once complete, another 40 permanent roles will be required to operate the plant. Additional employment will be created by the complementary businesses that will evolve once the plant is built.
Agile Energy develops low carbon energy parks both in the UK and further afield. Its directors and development team come from varied and complementary backgrounds in engineering, commerce, project development, waste management, and information technology. They are all entrepreneurs with a passion for improving the environment and employing the best technology for that task.
The energy parks are generally built around an Integrated Resource Recovery Facility (IRF) power plant. Each park is set up as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), a separate legal entity that addresses all aspects of the project – from site identification through to planning and licensing applications, engagement with the local communities, engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and operations and maintenance.
The parks also attract complementary businesses that can benefit from the sustainable, efficient use of electrical and heat energy.
BMH Technology will assist with waste processing for the project. The company designs and builds solutions for recycling, material recovery, renewable energy, and recreation of raw materials.
Its TYRANNOSAURUS® Waste to Fuel solution turns waste into environmentally-friendly solid recovered fuel (SRF) or refuse-derived (RDF) fuel, both of which can be used in place of fossil fuels.
Using this technology, it's possible to economically and efficiently generate huge amounts of sustainable energy.
Doosan Skoda specialises in designing customised steam turbines for a wide range of uses, including in the Thainstone power plant.
The heat generated through the combustion of waste materials will be used to drive this steam turbine, which will in turn power the generator that produces electricity.
Valmet provides a variety of solutions to help with project delivery. It will manage the boiler used to accumulate steam during the waste combustion process, which is in turn used to drive the steam turbine that powers the plant's generator.
It will also handle the cleaning, treatment, and disposal of the bottom ashes and flue gases produced during combustion, to minimise pollution and ensure all regulations are met.
Specialist company Radscan will provide the flue gas condenser for the project. This technology will help recapture some of the energy lost when moisture evaporates from the waste materials during the combustion process, so it can be recycled for district heating and other uses.
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