Green energy centre to create jobs - graduate jobs

Plans have been announced for a new green energy centre in Kent, which could lead to the creation of a number of jobs for graduates.

The owners of the former Richborough power station site want to build a green energy park, which would be run by 60 full-time staff.

Hundreds of construction jobs would also be created during the development of the park, on a 300-acre site near Sandwich.

Site owner Richborough A Ltd has commissioned plans for the park, including a recycling plant for household, commercial and industrial waste, timber for chipping, tyres for granulation, fridges, electronics and batteries.

The site would also house biomass and gasification plants, converting waste to electricity through heat rather than incineration.

The firm also wants to build an anaerobic digester plant which would break down waste, such as that from food and gardens, by using bacteria to turn it into compost and fertiliser.

Elsewhere in Kent, residents in Sellindge have voiced anger over plans to build a similar plant at the former Otterpool Quarry.

They have presented a 2,000 signature petition to Kent County Council outlining objections to the potential volume of traffic and the smells which could be generated by the plant.

The National Grid has already pledged £400 million to build an electricity interconnector at the Sellindge site, which will use undersea cabling to provide power to Belgium and visa versa.