What is the giant spaceship structure being built next to the M8?

Drivers travelling on the M8 near Braehead may have wondered what the huge spaceship-like structure next to the motorway is.

Its size and sweeping sloped roof make for an impressive roadside visual, and inside it will become one of the largest Energy from Waste (EfW) facilities in Scotland.

The South Clyde Energy Centre is set to begin operations by the end of 2026, according to the website.

The facility will handle 350,000 tonnes of waste that would otherwise have ended up in a landfill.

It comes ahead of the Scottish Government’s ban on landfill sites, which is due to come into force in 2028.

Jointly owned by Fortum and Gren Energy, the facility will generate 45 megawatts of electricity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 67 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide per year.

This will help power more than 70,000 homes.

How does an energy from waste facility work?

The sloping roof will have caught the attention of many drivers passing the site. South Clyde Energy Centre

Once operational, refuse collected from across the city will be taken to the South Clyde Energy Centre, where it will first be sorted to remove any recyclable material.

Then the waste will be fed into a giant combustion chamber, which boils water to produce steam that spins a turbine generator, creating usable electricity.

The advantage is that non-recyclable waste is given a useful purpose and complies with the Scottish Government’s landfill ban.

Artists impression of the South Clyde Energy Centre South Clyde Energy Centre

The website states: “The South Clyde Energy Centre provides a local solution to decarbonise waste from Glasgow and the surrounding area and will help reduce the environmental impact of waste.”

The reason for the sloping roof is to accommodate the massive equipment used to create electricity, including the turbines and storage bunker.

The facility will be under strict environmental guidelines set out by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

It also has the potential to be retrofitted with Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage technology in the future.