PILKS have revealed fresh plans for a cutting edge energy recovery facility that would be capable of producing 15MW of electricity and significantly reduce huge manufacturing energy bills.

In October 2014, the glass giants revealed plans to develop an energy facility at its Cowley Hill site but later pulled the plans.

But a similar scheme is now back on the table - with the Greengate site on Sherdley Road the chosen location this time.

Glass firm bosses says such moves are vital for sustainable business. Greengate's UK5 is currently the company's only operational float glass line in St Helens, with UK6 and Cowley Hill both mothballed.

Pilkington is forming a link with utility company, ESB, in a bid to develop the green technology.

If approved, the development will mean the creation of around 200 local jobs during construction and up to 20 jobs once the facility is operational.

The plant will be capable of producing 15MW of electricity, of which around 5MW will be used to power Pilkington’s manufacturing operations at Greengate and Watson Street.

Pilkington says this will create "a guaranteed source of lower-cost electricity for the business".

Excess capacity will be supplied to the local grid, and is anticipated to be enough electricity to power more than 15,000 homes across St Helens and the surrounding areas.

The facility will be financed, built and operated by ESB, the business behind a major new 880MW power station currently under construction in Carrington, Manchester.

Matt Buckley, MD at Pilkington United Kingdom Limited, said: “As an experienced business committed to sustainable energy generation, ESB is the right partner for us to progress this exciting venture with.

“The company has an excellent record of creating jobs through the projects it invests in, and this new facility will open up a considerable number of employment opportunities for local people.

“Glass manufacturing is an energy-intensive industry and against a backdrop of rising gas and electricity prices and decreasing reserves of fossil fuels, this type of clean energy generation is vital to ensuring a sustainable future for our business.”

The green technology to be used at the Greengate facility is one of a new generation where electricity is produced from refuse-derived fuel (RDF), which is made from the dry material left over after recyclables have been removed from waste.

It is anticipated that the RDF for this facility will be provided by a local waste management company.

A planning application and a detailed environmental impact assessment will be submitted to St. Helens Council in September.

Public exhibitions will be held on Thursday, August 4 and Thursday, August 11 and local residents are invited to meet the project team and find out more about the proposals.

Both events will run from 4pm – 8.30pm at The World of Glass, Chalon Way East. A sample of the RDF material will be available at this event.

Questions may also be sent directly to the company by email to

energyfeedback@pilkington.co.uk.