Dairy company, Wyke Farms, has been granted permission to build an anaerobic digester (AD) plant near their farms in Bruton, Somerset.
Construction on the plant, which Wyke Farms hopes will save over 4 million kilos of carbon dioxide per year and make the company ‘one of the first national food brands to be self-sufficient in green energy’, is set to start in Shepton Mallet immediately. The plant is expected to have a capacity of 55,000 tonnes per year when it first starts, rising to 100,000 tonnes once fully operational.
An mile-long underground service line to move whey permeate and milk rich waste from the cheese production site at White House farm, along with pig slurry from the adjacent Lambrook Pig Unit, will be built to move waste to the AD plant for processing.
The biogas generated at the plant would then be used to fuel gas to combined heat & power (CHP) generators, with the power being fed back to the cheese processing plant at White House Farm and some of the power and heat being fed to the Pig Unit.
The family-run business, valued at more than £70 million and the UK’s largest independent cheese producer and milk processor , has been planning a green energy strategy since 2005 and sought planning permission for the AD plant back in March 2012.
The company aims to source all of its electricity from both solar and biogas generated from the waste produced at its farms in the future. It currently also operates solar arrays on its farm buildings.
Rich Clothier, Managing Director at Wyke Farms, said: “We are a business that believe in the principles of sustainability. For us it’s about local farming, local sourcing and local supply wherever possible.”
“When it comes to energy sourcing, it doesn’t get more local than collecting the light off of your rooftops and using the gas digested from the manure from your cows, add to that a commitment to re-use all of the factory waste water again and it starts to get really exciting”.
Wyke farms has also reportedly entered into discussions with energy advisors, who will ‘accurately measure their results’ and advise them on how to achieve ‘sustainable green growth’.
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How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.