IN ASSOCIATION WITH
AD 2010: POWERING THE WAY FORWARD
BiogenGreenfinch. BIOGEN (UK) was set up
in 2005 as a result of the long sighted vision
Anaerobic digestion plants like Westwood and Northern Ireland. Working with WRAP, of chairman, John Ibbett, some 25 years
could help the UK to reach the target of 15% the EA has developed and now published a earlier to develop an innovative farm-based
of electricity from renewable sources by 2020. Quality Protocol to make it easier to collect, application of anaerobic digestion.
(restats.org.uk) store, transport and reuse AD bio-fertiliser Biogen’s pioneering Twinwoods plant
from source-separated biodegradable waste near Bedford began operating in 2005 in
Legislation and environmental in England and Wales. BiogenGreenfinch’s partnership with sister company Bedfordia
requirements own environmental experts worked with Farms recycling 42,000 tonnes of food waste
Waste recycling, especially recycling food BSI, WRAP and the Renewable Energy and slurry from Bedfordia’s pig farming
waste and animal by-products, is subject Association (REA) to develop the national operation each year.
to extensive legal controls. It goes without specification, BSI PAS 110, on which the Greenfinch was founded by Michael
saying that anyone who produces or protocol is based. Chesshire in 1993 as a process engineering
recycles waste must meet strict duty of care company designing and building sewage
requirements.
Sites that process and handle waste
must obtain appropriate permits/licences
‘
With challenge
sludge, farm and food waste digesters.
Greenfinch designed and built 12 AD
plants including the South Shropshire
from the Environment Agency (EA), (Scottish
Environment Protection Agency or Northern
comes
Biodigester at Ludlow, the first of its kind
in the UK to process source-separated
Ireland Environment Agency if outside
England) and new sites also need to seek
planning permission. A permit is needed from
opportunity
municipal kitchen waste into biogas and a
Animal Health (formerly the State Veterinary
’
biofertiliser.
With over 30 years experience in the AD
industry, Chesshire is well respected as an
Service) if animal by-products are involved in “As operators of a technology that is still expert in his field. He serves on the panel of
the process. fairly new to the UK, there have definitely the government’s AD Task Group and was
Making sure an anaerobic digestion been some challenges. But with challenge recently made a director of the Renewable
(AD) plant complies with all planning, comes opportunity and we have had a Energy Association.
environmental and health and safety fantastic opportunity to show that we have BiogenGreenfinch has plans for a
legislation is a complicated and lengthy what it takes to design, build and operate national network of integrated anaerobic
process and not for the faint-hearted. It takes new AD plants on a large scale,” says digestion plants like their Westwood plant
a detailed knowledge and understanding Andrew Needham, operations director at in Northamptonshire. Well established R&D
of these ever changing regulations BiogenGreenfinch. facilities in Shropshire and a state-of-the-art
to successfully meet the necessary laboratory in Bedfordshire enable them to
requirements. BiogenGreenfinch history and remain at the forefront of anaerobic digestion
An exemption from permitting is required experience and biogas technology.
RWW
from the EA in order to spread the bio- As two of the UK’s leading environmental
fertiliser (digestate) produced from the AD businesses and anaerobic digestion ü For more details on the BiogenGreenfinch
process onto land in England and Wales. specialists – BIOGEN (UK) and closed loop technology, contact us on 01234
Similar exemptions are required in Scotland Greenfinch joined forces in 2008 to form 827249 or email info@biogengreenfinch.co.uk
Recycling
& WASTE WORLD www.recyclingwasteworld.co.uk March 11 2010 11
110-11 AD PROCESS.indd 110-11 AD PROCESS.indd 11 88/3/10 17:55:31/3/10 17:55:31
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