Anaerobic Digestion plant and water recycling systems will go ahead at Lincolnshire site
Branston Ltd has confirmed that plans to build an anaerobic digestion plant that will turn waste potatoes into electricity are to go ahead, with construction work starting next month.
The anaerobic digestion plant is part of a £1.4 million investment in green technologies at its Lincolnshire site, which will also include major upgrades to its water management system.
The investment will save Branston, which is the leading supplier of potatoes to Tesco, over 40% on electricity and 60% on water at the site, as well as taking one HGV load of waste off the road each day.
A £568,000 grant from the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), which is funded by Defra and the European Union and delivered by the East Midlands Development Agency (emda) has just been awarded to make the development of this new plant possible.
When up and running, Branston’s anaerobic digestion plant will produce 300kW of electricity. The green electricity will be complemented by the introduction of a new water recycling plant, which will recycle some 60% of the water used to wash potatoes. Branston’s fresh potato facility and its brand new £3.5 million prepared food factory will both benefit from the new infrastructure.
The investment is the latest in several projects undertaken as part of Branston’s environmental strategy, which has led the company to become the first UK food producer to receive the Carbon Trust Standard and ISO 14001 accreditation.
“At Branston, we’re committed to working in harmony with the environment,” says Mark Willcox, Development Director for Branston. “This exciting development is a continuation of that strategy and will help us by reducing our utility costs and help the environment by reducing our use of fossil fuels.
“We will be using outgrade potatoes, which are unfit for consumption, to produce a significant amount of electricity and in doing so become one of the first food producers in the UK to harness such innovative and environmentally friendly technology. As well as being incredibly efficient, the anaerobic digestion plant is also safe, quiet and odourless. The combined heat and power plant will be complemented by the water recycling plant which will considerably reduce our mains water consumption and ensure we maximise efficiencies throughout our two factories on site.”
Andrew Morgan, emda’s Skills and Communities Director, added “We are pleased to support this ambitious and innovative project, which is embracing new technology and implementing environmental best practice It’s a strong example of what RDPE is all about – supporting land based businesses to use alternative natural resources to produce energy and conserve water whilst significantly reducing their impact on the environment. We hope the Branston project will inspire more businesses to invest in greener strategies and technologies for the future.”
While new to Branston, the technology behind the anaerobic digestion plant is well established. Waste is fed into a digester, where a reaction with friendly bacteria in the system takes place, producing a mix of gases including methane.
The methane gas rises to the top of the tank and is fed into the combined heat and power generator where it is burned, with the energy created turning an alternator which generates 300 kW of electricity.
Branston has also worked with the Environment Agency to upgrade its water treatment plant to a water recycling plant.
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Issued on behalf of Branston by Lava. For further information contact Matt at Lava on 01522 842 800 / matt@lavapr.co.uk
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About RDPE
RDPE is jointly funded by the European Union (EU) and Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). emda has approximately £60m available for projects in the region until 2013. The purpose of RDPE grants is to stimulate the rural economy of the East Midlands and provide more opportunities and an improved quality of life for rural people in the region.
Full details on the regional delivery of RDPE and how to apply for funding can be found at www.emda.org.uk/rdpe <http://www.emda.org.uk/rdpe>
About emda
East Midlands Development Agency (emda) is one of nine Regional Development Agencies in England, set up in 1999 to bring a regional focus to economic development.
Ten years on, independent evaluation shows emda has:
· Had a significant impact on the region’s economy
· Generated economic benefits that substantially outweigh its overall costs
· Put back over £9 of economic output (or GVA) into the regional economy for every £1 it spends
· Produced more than £1 billion in economic benefits per year
· A wider impact on people, places and businesses in the East Midlands that cannot be captured by figures alone.
emda is committed to supporting the region through the current downturn and has put in place a range of measures to provide real help during these challenging times.
Over the long term, emda’s aim is to deliver the 2006 Regional Economic Strategy (RES) by working in partnership with public, private and voluntary organisations. The RES highlights the themes of productivity, sustainability and equality and sets out key priorities until 2020 to ensure the vision for ‘a flourishing region’ can be achieved.
For more details visit www.emda.org.uk <http://www.emda.org.uk/>
