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Anaerobic Digestion Plants in the British Isles
 In the UK we expect a substantial number of Anaerobic Digestion Plants to be built over the next 10 years, these will be to service the primary functions of:-
- for Municipal Solid Waste Disposal: as the Waste Disposal Authorities throughout the nation enter contracts to build new waste management facilities;
- for Agricultural Waste Management and production of fertiliser and on-farm biogas;
- for Renewable Energy Generation assuming current energy prices and ROCS subsidies are maintained.
A number of regulations apply to these plants and are listed on our England and Wales Biogas Plant regulations page.
AD Plants in England and Wales
Municipal and Farm Based AP Plants
Some authorities are known to have opted for anaerobic digestion as part of their strategy already.
The Anaerobic Digestion Plants we know about are:-
- Devon County Council - Holsworthy, Devon; Technology provider Biotech Energy Ltd (Germany), operated by Summerleaze (Andigestion Ltd). Feed is cattle, pig and poultry manure, organic food, waste. (ABP 3) 2.1 MW Power output. Operational and large scale plant.
- Wanlip Leicester as part of a Biffa MRF. Operated by Severn Trent
Water (BIFFA). Accepts biodegradable Municipal Waste. 1.5 MW potential power output. Operational large scale plant Approx. 35,000 tpa.
- Woking Council, Surrey - Preliminary pre-contract discussions
- South Shropshire Council, DEFRA Waste Technologies Demonstrator Project. Greenfinch are now operating this part DEFRA funded Waste Technology Demonstrator Plant, in Ludlow, Shropshire.
- Longstock, Hampshire - Technology provider is Bioplex Ltd and operator is also Bioplex Ltd. Feed is agricultural residues and animal waste slurries. The throughput is about 1,500 tpa
- Milton Ernest, Bedfordshire - Biogen technology plant operated by Bedfordia Farms Ltd. Accepts Food waste (ABP 2+3) Operational plant with a reported throughput of 42,000 tpa
- Rushden (Westwood), Northamptonshire CC, Biogen BiogenFood waste1.5 MW, Under development 41,000 tpa
- Wareham, Dorset - In-vessel composting Operator Sita Feed will be Bio-waste. this plant is under development
- South East London - Operator would be Veolia - Food waste. thought to be at feasibility study stage.
- Doncaster, South Yorkshire - Initial stages.
- Honiton - Otter Rotters Ltd
- Elgin - Integrated Bio-Gen Ltd - early stages
- Biogen Plant, Twinwoods, Bedfordshire. Technology provided by Integrated bio-Gen Ltd
- Bank Farm - Operated by Clive Pugh (Private Ind.) 790 m3 Operational plant
- Eye Airfield, Eye, Suffolk - 1.05 MW. Not yet built, but fully consented
- Dimmer - Wyvern Waste Services Ltd, 3 MW. - Not yet built, but fully consented
- Lowe Farm - 0.5 MW - Not yet built, but fully consented
- Longstock, Hampshire - Operator Bioplex Ltd. Technology Bioplex Demo Plant 0.0075 MW. Currently operating
- Horsington, Somerset - Technology provider was Organic Power and so is Operator. this is a demo plant
- Cambridge Research Park - Operator Summerleaze, and technology also by Summerleaze. Research Facility - 300 m3 - Operational
- Swang Farm, near Bridgwater, Somerset. Operator Tim Roe (MD) Cannington Cold Stores
- Sandford, Whitchurch, Shropshire; Lower College Poultry Farm
- Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority, North Manchester plant - Enpure Ltd - Greater Manchester
- Greater Manchester, Bredbury Parkway; plant by Enpure Ltd -MSW - Under development
- Leicestershire CC (Estates Dept) - Feasibility study for a central AD Plant
- Stockport, Manchester - Design by Greenfinch Ltd. Operation to be by Fairfield Ltd.
- Update October 2008
- GR Lancashire UR-3R process- 2 plants under construction Leyland and Thornton
- Biffa/ Clarke, West Sussex, Hasse process, 1 facility at preferred bidder
- SRM/NEWS Norfolk CC Contract A AMBT with Dranco/OWS AD process near Final Closure
- Oaktech, Glendale /Falkirk, Arrowbio process 1 facility under construction Thanks to Rob W
AD Plants Scotland
Scottish Executive Programme Sites
A number of small farm digesters have been installed under the Scottish Executive programme the prime driver for installing these subsidised plants was for public health reasons, to reduce organically contaminated stormwater run-off from these farms into watercourses which led to improved bathing beach standards on nearby Solway Firth bathing beaches.
These plants were on farm sites for example at Sorbie, Saltcoats, Ayrshire; Meikle Laught, Knockrivoch, Saltcoats, Ayrshire; Corsock, Dalbeattie; Southwick, Dumfries. The installer and designer was Greenfinch Technology. The feedstock comprises sheep and cattle manure and slurries The sizes vary up to 480 m3. These plants are operated by each farm and are currently operating now and are small scale plants.
Municipal Solid Waste AD Plants
Isle of Lewis, Western Isles
Under the Western Isles Integrated Waste Management Facility, PFI Contract awarded to Earthtech, a Linde Technology designed plant is under construction. The plant will be fed by Biodegradable Municipal Waste.
Farm/Central AD Plants
The following feasibility studies are thought to be underway:-
- Isle of Mull - Animal slurry
- Isle of Bute - Animal slurry, dairy waste
- Island of Westray - Orkney; Ris Energy Feedstock will be animal slurry, and fish waste 0.024 MW. Not yet built, but fully consented
Municipal Solid Waste AD Plants
Cumbernauld, Glasgow; HBS and Monsal, project in progress for operator Scottish Water Waste Services, feed will be food waste and it is planned to have a throughput of approximately 30,000 tpa.
Turriff plant, operated by John Rennie & Son Ltd 30.95 MW. this plant is Operational.
Wastewater Biosolids AD Plants
Visit our page on Monsal Anaerobic Digestion for information about UK AD Plants which digest the sludge produced by sewage treatment works, and in particular activated sludge from the activated sludge process used at many sewage (wastewater) treatment works.
AD Plants Ireland
Silver Hill Duck Farm, Ireland. The feed stock is Duck slurry - Operational and large scale.
Ballytobin , Kilkenny, Ireland. Biogas Nord technology. The feed stock is Animal slurry, food processing wastes - Operational – small scale.
Recent AD Plant History
To Understand the Growth in the Number of AD Plants compare the list below with the current projects described above
The US Methane to Markets Country Report for Agriculture for the UK (2006) provided the following table of AD sites, and potential sites:-
Table - Summary of Large-scale AD plant in UK and Ireland
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Plant Type
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(Technology provider)
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Feedstock.
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Status.
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Holsworthy.
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Mesophilic-(Farmatic technology).
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Cattle, pig and poultry manure, organic food, waste.
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Operational large scale.
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Leicester.
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Mesophilic.
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Biodegradable Municipal Waste.
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Operational large scale.
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Scottish Executive
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Mesophilic- (Greenfinch technology)
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Sheep and cattle manure and slurries
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7 Operational plants – small scale
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Silver Hill Duck Farm- Ireland
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Mesophilic
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Duck slurry
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Operational large scale
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Ludlow
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Mesophilic- (Greenfinch technology)
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Biodegradable Municipal Waste
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Under development
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Ballytobin , Kilkenny, Ireland
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Mesophilic- (BiogasNord technology)
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Animal slurry, food processing wastes
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Operational – small scale
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Western Isles Scotland
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Mesophilic- (Linde technology)
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Biodegradable Municipal Waste
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Under construction
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Five mile town N Ireland
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Mesophilic
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Animal slurry, dairy waste
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Planning preparation
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Isle of Bute
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Mesophilic
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Animal slurry, dairy waste
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Feasibility study
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Westray
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Mesophilic
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Animal Slurry, fish waste
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Feasibility study
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Isle of Mull
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Mesophilic
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Animal Slurry
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Feasibility study
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A copy of the country report which contains the above table can be obtained from www.methanetomarkets.org. (Further information is also available on that site about the Methane to Markets initiative.)
(If you know of more AD Plants then please help us update this list by using the Contact Us email address, or form, here.)
This page was last updated in July 2008. Site information has been obtained from various sources and no liability is accepted for its accuracy.
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