A farm in Staffordshire is being recognised as the prime example for sustainable diversification after the property owners opened a £3m anaerobic digestion facility.
The new power plant will replace 1.3MW of power onto the National Grid per year as well as helping the council cope with the 30,000 tonnes of food waste produced around the community. Food scraps will be supplied from the council’s kerbside collections and local supermarkets and food retailers.
In addition the farm can recycle its own pig slurry and maize-based silage at the plant without it ever leaving the farm’s premises. Government waste initiative WRAP has sponsored Lower Reule Bioenergy with a £750,000 grant.
The biogas generated by the plant is generated by burning the food waste in a combined heat and power facility. The heat will be reused to allow crops on the farm to enjoy an extended growing season. Most likely farmers will plant strawberries or asparagus.
Director of Lower Reule Bioenergy, Ian Critchley said that the AD plant will offer a new diversification opportunity at the farm. The plant will provide excess heat and products for resale in the form of biofertiliser and power, Mr Chritchley added.
Supply programme manager for WRAP said that the new project was a great example to highlight the versatility of using AD for sustainable businesses. He added that WRAP would continue to endeavor to support AD technology. The technology has been heralded with the ability to prevent millions of tonnes of biodegradable rubbish from ending up in landfills. It could also help the UK reach its climate change emission targets.
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