North Yard offers significant advantages as a waste treatment site. First of all, the EfW plant provides cost-effective and sustainable heat and electricity for the Naval Base, using the existing pipe network and placing existing fossil fuel fired boiler houses on stand-by. There is also potential for an extended heating network for the local area in the future. The site is part of the industrial setting of the Naval Base.
EfW plants are often sited in residential areas or inner cities. For example, in England, the Coventry EfW plant backs onto housing, while the Nottingham plant provides CHP to local businesses. In Europe, many plants are situated in the heart of major cities and populated areas with housing nearby, just like North Yard.