David Kunzer, Finance Director, Tamar Energy Ltd and Trevor Heathcote, Chairman, Countrystyle Group Ltd

Recently formed anaerobic digestion (AD) developer Tamar Energy Limited, has signed a deal transferring the management and development rights of three AD sites and six in-vessel and open windrow composting sites from Countrystyle Group Limited. Tamar, founded in February of this year, has also acquired the full rights to a fourth AD facility subject to planning permission.

All three of the AD sites in the south of England have not yet been developed but have full planning permission, and construction at the sites in Swanley in Essex and Otterpool in Kent is scheduled to commence in 2013.

As part of the deal, Countrystyle’s management team will be transferred to the Tamar Organics division, to help manage and operate the three in-vessel composting (IVC) facilities at Parham and Lackford in Suffolk and Tempsford in Bedford as well as the three open windrow composting facilities at Swanley in Kent, Ongar in Essex, and Beddingham in East Sussex.

The companies have assured customers and staff of the IVC and windrow composting facilities that there will be ‘no interruption in service’ and that they will notice ‘very little change’ other than site rebranding.

The deal ­– the sum of which has not been disclosed ­– comes as part of Tamar’s £97 million investment in developing a UK network of 44 AD plants in the hopes of generating 100 megawatts (MW) of green electricity over the next five years.

Tamar Energy’s first AD facility is currently under construction at Holbeach Hurn, Lincolnshire in partnership with AH Worth, a potato processing plant. Once operational in August 2013, it is expected to process 36,000 tonnes of food waste into 11 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year.

Commenting on the deal, Trevor Heathcote, Chairman of the Countrystyle Group said: “We are delighted to be able to support Tamar Energy with its plan for a network of AD sites across the UK. Tamar’s acquisition of the strategically placed AD projects that Countrystyle has pulled together over the last three years, will now ensure that these projects have the funding and the best chance possible to be built out.

“This deal combines the resources of a well-funded energy business in Tamar with the solution-driven delivery infrastructure and end-to-end contacts of Countrystyle and its sister company FGS Agri that provides outsourced agricultural services and recycling and spreading of utility sludges across the South of England.”

Alan Lovell, Chairman and Chief Executive of Tamar Energy added: “We are very excited to have added Countrystyle’s composting division to the Tamar family. We recognise the synergy between high quality composting and AD and believe that both businesses will benefit. We also gain access to four very good AD sites, which we will build out over the next four years. Countrystyle’s organic management team is excellent and will greatly enhance our operational capability.”

Countrystyle Group will initially supply the fuel feedstock for the four AD plants and Tamar’s new organics division, and also market the PAS 110 digestate and PAS 100 soil improver end products to the agricultural sector via its associate company, FGS Agri Limited.

Countrystyle will continue to operate its waste transfer stations and materials recovery facilities across the south of England as well as its wood waste and plasterboard facility in Ridham, Kent.

This marks the most recent deal for the Countrystyle group, which last month acquired waste management consultancy firm Any Waste Solution.

Read more about Tamar Energy Limited and the Countrystyle Group Limited.