Artist's impression of the Farleigh AD plant
Renewable energy company Tamar Energy has announced the commencement of the first phase of its ‘critical mass’ network of anaerobic digestion plants.
A programme to construct four new anaerobic digestion (AD) plants with a combined electricity capacity of 8 Megawatts (MW) is now underway across England, marking the first step in the company’s plan to create a network of around 40 plants by 2018.
Established in 2010 and officially launched last year, Tamar is reportedly the ‘UK’s first renewable energy business to exclusively focus on AD’ and has ambitions to create the ‘first UK-wide network of AD plants’ by 2018 to generate 100 megawatts (MW) of electricity and gas from digesting food waste - enough to power more than 200,000 homes.
The processed organic waste will also produce a ‘nutrient rich fertilizer digestate’ and water.
The four sites under construction are located in:
- Farleigh, Hampshire
Digester tanks for the 40,000 tonnes per annum facility are currently under construction. Commissioning is expected to commence in ‘autumn 2013’, with the plant generating 1.5 MW of electricity by ‘early 2014’.
- Holbeach Hurn, Lincolnshire
To be commissioned in late 2013, the Holbeach project is a joint venture with food producer and processor A.H. Worth & Company Limited. It is expected to process around 30,000 tonnes of food waste when in operation, producing 1.5 MW of electricity.
- Retford, Nottinghamshire
Producing up to 3 MW of electricity when fully commissioned in ‘spring 2014’, this facility will process maize, agricultural waste and chicken manure from the local area.
- Halstead, Essex
Construction on the access track for the plant has already begun, with work on the AD facility itself scheduled for the end of June 2013. Once operational in 2014, the facility is expected to process 45,000 tonnes of commercial and industrial (C&I) food waste and produce 2 MW of electricity.
Tamar says that the plants will be powered by three main sources of feedstock: organic waste from the food processing industry; agricultural sources and ‘post-consumer’ organic waste, broken down into municipal, household waste; and waste from industrial and commercial sources including hotels, supermarkets, prisons, schools and hospitals.
Alan Lovell, Chairman and Chief Executive of Tamar Energy, said: “We are very pleased to report that work is on or ahead of schedule at our sites, and we are in advanced stages of negotiations with local waste contractors in and around Hampshire and Essex for our plants in Farleigh and Halstead.
“Our innovative funding model means we are in a unique position in the AD industry to deliver on our promise of a cost-effective, reliable and sustainable energy and waste management solution for local councils and waste contractors alike.”
Read more about Tamar Energy’s 40-plant plan.
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