"To date, the level of diversion and the progress of the testing of the components of the SWERF technology is encouraging," Energy Development said.

"Performance testing is progressing steadily with the focus on gradually increasing the waste tonnage processed through the plant."

Last month, Energy Development said its Whytes Gully plant had the potential to achieve diversion of approximately 80% of the incoming waste stream from landfill in the near term.

Energy Development also informed the market that waste sterilisation and recyclable recovery are also performing to expectations, achieving consistent throughputs required for the gasification process.

As for primary gasification, the company said that with the re-instatement of the dry char removal system, the primary gasifier is now running consistently. "Primary gasifier runs of increasing length, including a run of 50 hours, have been achieved.

"These have been at rates in excess of 75% of design capacity of the gasifier (each gasifier is designed to process the organics derived from 25,000 tonnes of waste annually."

Energy Development added that during the extended operating periods of the plant, the power generation plant again demonstrated its ability to operate on syngas at a full engine rating of 1.35 megawatts per unit, with electricity being exported to the grid.

The performance testing of the SWERF Whytes Gully plant will be suspended for two weeks during the holiday period commencing 20 December 2002, Energy Development said.