Dairy moves into green pastures with anaerobic digester plant 27 April 2010

Shaftesbury, Dorset-based BV Dairy is aiming to cut its carbon footprint by more than 65% by pioneering liquid anaerobic digestion (AD) technology.

Jim Highnam, managing director of BV Dairy, says he expects to reduce CO2 emissions by 1,200 tonnes per year, which equates to planting 120,000 trees. Going green should also help the dairy save an estimated £150,000 per year, he observes.

When the AD plant becomes fully operational in August 2010, Highnam also expects to generate more than 75% of the site's electricity, using its combined heat and power (CHP) technology that will convert biogas into renewable energy.

The high-rate liquid digester has been designed and built by Clearfleau to treat liquid waste under an established biological process that converts volatile solids into biogas. Meanwhile, ENER-G is designing, supplying and operating the 190kWe CHP plant, which will be capable of generating 1,539MW of electricity and 1,685 MW of heat per annum from effluent.

Highnam says that most electrical power will be used to drive existing dairy operations, with the remainder sold into the National Grid. Surplus heat will be used in the production process. In addition, small amounts of de-watered digestate will be produced and used as a soil conditioner and fertiliser, compliant with PAS110.

"This is a fantastic opportunity, not just for BV Dairy, but for the whole UK dairy industry, to be at the leading edge of renewable energy technology," states Highnam.

"We need to release the energy value of these unavoidable liquid wastes. We will fully grasp the opportunity that this project presents, and we hope that this will be the start of a major shift towards renewable energy production from anaerobic digestion of food wastes," he adds.

And Alan McInnes, BV Dairy technical director, comments: "The project has so many benefits, because it will generate energy and reduce waste disposal costs. At the same time it will have a major impact on the company's carbon footprint – in fact, the projected carbon footprint reduction is quite staggering."

Brian Tinham

Related Companies
Clearfleau Ltd
ENER-G plc

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