New Anaerobic digestion facilities in Wales

Last month saw the opening of two new anaerobic digestion facilities in Wales. These facilities, delivered with the support of the Welsh Government’s Waste Infrastructure Procurement Programme, are treating source segregated food waste collected by a number of Welsh local authorities. This is making an important contribution towards those authorities achieving the Welsh Government’s statutory 70% recycling target by 2024/5, as well as their wider sustainability ambitions.

Each facility de-packages, macerates and then digests the food waste in large sealed tanks. During the digestion process food waste breaks down to produce biogas (methane and carbon dioxide) and a liquid fertiliser. The biogas is converted into renewable electricity and either used locally or fed into the national grid. The liquid fertiliser is spread on local farm land, reducing the use of fossil fuel derived chemical fertilizers.

In addition to treating local authority collected food waste, the facilities have spare capacity to treat commercial food waste arising from local businesses.

Kelda’s Tremorfa Facility, Cardiff

Howel Jones and James Buckingham of Local Partnerships joined a delegation of officials from Welsh Government, Cardiff City Council and Vale of Glamorgan Councils, hosted by the contractor Kelda and its design and build team. The facility, which has a capacity of c. 35,000 tonnes per annum has recently completed its “dry” commissioning phase and is commencing acceptance of food waste. The facility is situated sited next to Dwr Cymru’s waste water treatment works. The electricity generated at the facility, which is enough to power 4,000 homes, will be supplied directly to the treatment works.

James had previously led the procurement process, whilst on secondment from Local Partnerships to Cardiff Council.

Agrivert’s South Wales Facility, Parc Stormy, Bridgend

 Howel Jones joined a one hundred-strong delegation hosted by contractor Agrivert, for the official opening of their facility by Carwyn Jones, the First Minister of Wales. The facility treats food waste collected by Ceredigion, Powys and Pembrokeshire councils that was previously being treated at Agrivert’s Cassington plant in Oxfordshire.

The facility, which has a capacity of c. 50,000 tonnes per annum was constructed in nine months, and captures 5.6 million cubic metres of methane every year. This equates to the same greenhouse gas impact as removing 89,000 cars off the road. The facility  generates enough renewable electricity to power over 6,000 homes.

Excess heat produced in the process is planned to be used in the cement production process of an adjacent plant.

This brings the total number of anaerobic digestion facilities delivered in Wales, via the Welsh Government’s Waste Infrastructure Procurement Programme, to five.