WELTEC BIOPOWER: ANAEROBIC DIGESTION OF FOOD WASTE REQ
Working towards the goal of increasing recycling rates
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very year, about 100 million tons of organic wastes (20 per cent of which are food leftovers) accumulate in the country. They end up largely unused
private waste management companies. After all, one ton of organic waste could be converted into 600 to 800 kilowatt hours of energy. In order to use these resources, suitable conditions and sophisticated waste and disposal facilities are required. This is the only way that anaerobic digestion can be a basis for a sustainable energy supply. In 2010, the UK government created the necessary framework and bundled a package of measures that focus on the generation of biogas from organic waste. The UK is considered Europe’s number one in terms of biogas potential and belongs to the “202020 Network”. The objective of the countries participating in the network is to increase the share of green energy to 20 percent and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by the year 2020. By then, 100 large and 1,000 smaller plants with a total output of approximately 1,100 MW are to be connected to the grid. Thanks to the Feed-In Tariff for renewable energies (FIT) and the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) there are
Intelligent concepts that require an individual solution of technical features are always a challenge, because each system must be tailored to the needs of the producer, says Wilhelm Bonse-Geuking, Director of Weltec
currently 140 biogas plants in the UK on the network. Of these 80 are industrial or municipal facilities that use organic waste such as food waste, green bin waste or mash. Intelligent concepts that require an individual solution of technical features are always a challenge, because each system must be tailored to the needs of the producer. Only in this way can the Government goal be achieved.
The plant engineer WELTEC BIOPOWER (UK) Ltd, based in Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, addresses these challenges with a large technical in-house development. Another element of trust lies in the resistant stainless steel digesters that have a longer lifespan than concrete tanks, as the hydrogen sulphide and ammonia compounds contained in the biogas are destructive and highly toxic. WELTEC also offers comprehensive maintenance and service for long-term success of the system. It is this quality and the individual applications that is appreciated by customers. One client is Eco Sustainable Solutions Ltd., which operates an anaerobic digestion facility in Piddlehinton (Dorset). WELTEC planned and built the facility, which was commissioned in 2012. The plant utilises 20,000 tons of food waste a year and generates an electrical output of 498 kilowatts. The plant is fed by local authority-collected food waste as well as out-of-date food products which prior to digestion are unpackaged, sorted and pasteurised at the site. The energy usage of this plant is exemplary. The heat generated from the process is recovered and sent via a pipeline to be used at an adjacent feed mill. Electricity generated at the plant is also fed to the neighbouring mill and when this is not operational, the power is fed to the National Grid. The digestate produced by the plant, which is in the process of gaining PAS 110 accreditation, is collected and used by local farmers. The concept of the plant in Piddlehinton and the expertise available from plant manufacturer WELTEC led last year to Eco Sustainable winning the Organics Recycling Award in the category Biogas Output. Such awards inspire us to continue working on the goal of increasing the recycling rates of biogenic wastes constantly.
REQ
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Stoneleigh Abbey Mews, Stoneleigh Abbey, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire CV8 2LF Tel: 01926 217994
www.weltec-biopower.co.uk
www.r-e-a.net
AUTUMN 2014
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RENEWABLE ENERGY QUARTERLY
| REQ 33
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