Dairy moves into greener pastures - ENER-G Holdings

May 2, 2010 - PRLog -- Shaftesbury-based BV Dairy is projected to reduce its CO2 emissions by approximately 1,200 tonnes per year, which would equate to the environmental benefit of planting 120,000 trees. Going green should also help the dairy save an estimated £150,000 per year.

http://www.energ.co.uk/

When the AD system becomes fully operational in August 2010, BV Dairy expects to generate more than 75% of the site’s electricity consumption.

The high-rate liquid digester has been designed and built by Clearfleau (www.clearfleau.com). ENER·G is designing, supplying and operating the combined heat and power (CHP) technology that will convert biogas into renewable energy.

Clearfleau’s high rate anaerobic systems are used for the on-site treatment of liquid waste. Anaerobic digestion is a well established biological process where micro-organisms that thrive in an oxygen-free environment convert volatile solids into biogas. Clearfleau's digestion systems operate with reduced liquid retention time on a confined footprint.

http://www.energ.co.uk/cogeneration

The 190kWe CHP system will be capable of generating 1,539 MWh of electricity and 1,685 MWh of heat per annum from effluent, dramatically reducing the dairy’s reliance on fossil fuels.

Established in 1958, BV Dairy currently processes around 35 million litres of milk per year, sourced from 35 farms located near its site. The product range includes fresh and cultured dairy products for sale to the UK’s food manufacturers and food service operators.

The AD system involves waste liquids from the dairy being converted into biogas, which will then be used to generate electricity and heat using ENER·G's CHP technology. The majority of electricity will power 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 which will be used as a soil conditioner and fertiliser, and will be compliant with the PAS110 protocols.

Funding has been provided under the WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) Environment Transformation Fund, supported by the Department of Energy and Climate Change. This follows an earlier small scale pilot project to test the AD operation at the site, which was carried out by Clearfleau. The mobile plant has just completed further dairy trials and will be used on other projects in the brewing and food processing sector during 2010.

http://www.energ.co.uk/chp

Jim Highnam, Managing Director of BV Dairy, said: “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. 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.”
Alan McInnes, BV Dairy Technical Director, added: “the project has so many benefits because it will generate energy and reduce waste disposal costs, and 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.”

Richard Gueterbock, Marketing Director of Clearfleau commented: “This exciting project will demonstrate how dairy companies and food processors can extract energy from effluent that is currently being discharged to sewer. Once it is operational later this year the plant will be open for visitors from the dairy sector as well as from across the food and drink industry.”

The project is backed by Dairy UK, whose Environment Manager Fergus McReynolds commented: “Anaerobic digestion technology can play a major role in reducing the dairy sector’s environmental impact. It is also a key part of processors’ commitment under the Milk Roadmap.”

According to estimates by Dairy UK, if the AD system was replicated across the UK's dairy sector some 346,000 tonnes of CO2 could be saved annually.

The CHP system is being hired from ENER·G for a two year period, prior to capital purchase.

ENER·G is urging the farming and land owning community to take advantage of government financial incentives for creating energy from anaerobic digestion (AD), including Renewable Obligations Certificates (ROCs) and newly introduced Feed-in-tariff (FiT).

“AD is a viable, proven technology that is currently under-deployed in this country compared to other parts of Europe,” said Scott Tamplin, Business Development Manager-AD for ENER·G Natural Power. “The government claims that AD could produce 7.5 per cent of the UK’s renewable power by 2020 and I very much hope that the new incentives will help farmers and landowners achieve huge commercial benefits, while helping to hit national targets on carbon emission reductions.”

ENER·G has considerable experience of building, operating and financing major biogas projects across the UK and Europe. The company is expanding its experienced team of specialist engineers to meet growing demand for methane-rich biogas projects, such as AD.

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ENER·G takes an environmentally and socially responsible view on the generation and consumption of energy. We are also firm believers in retaining its commercial viability.

Our four offerings, Cogeneration, Renewable Energy, Energy Management and Energy from Waste provide an energy solution for all businesses and industry types. It also allows ENER·G to offer a one stop shop for all commercial and industrial energy requirements. From the efficient generation of energy to the equally efficient control of consumption.

Our solid financial status gives us the freedom to be 100% dedicated to the development of our products and markets. Over the years, ENER·G has grown organically and via acquisition to achieve a strong global presence today.