Farms sought for revolutionary new AD renewable energy system

TOTNES, U.K. - June 30, 2015 - PRLog -- A Devon renewable energy company is seeking farms who would like to reduce their electricity and heating costs by having their own on-site Anaerobic Digester system.

New Generation Biogas (NGB), based in Totnes, has developed a mini Anaerobic Digester, known as Archemax®, which unlike conventional AD systems can be used by small agricultural businesses.  NGB has just agreed a funding deal to build and install three of its Archemax® plants on farms in 2015.  It is expected that three further plants will be funded in 2016 with another twenty systems provisionally to follow.

“We are very excited to have received this financial boost from Renewables Unlimited, based in Glasgow, in the form of the purchase of three of our Archemax® AD systems, which will let us take a big step forward in promoting the use of AD by small and medium sized farms,” said Stirling Paatz, Founder and Director of NGB.  “This is the breakthrough that is needed for smaller farms wanting to gain additional long-term returns from their own AD plant.”

Until now, AD systems have only been suitable for larger business operations.  The spread of AD for smaller farms has been held back by the unsuitability of conventional AD plants for smaller agricultural businesses, the costs and difficulties in obtaining finance.

NGB will install the Archemax® plant for each farm at no cost and look after it for 20 years. Sophisticated remote monitoring systems are included so there is minimum involvement required by the farmer beyond general care and feeding. After 20 years the AD system will belong to the farm.

“We are looking for farms where we can put our new AD system in place, and we are keen to hear from anyone interested in taking up this offer,” added Paatz. “The system is particularly suited to farms with animal waste, such as dairy, poultry or pig farms.  Benefits for the farmer include cheaper electricity, free heating and high quality fertiliser that has passed through the AD plant.”

Archemax® is the result of six years of research and development by NG Biogas, led by Dr Phil Hobbs, an international expert on biogas research. “This new AD system is possible due to advances in engineering and microbial fermentation,” he said. “Archemax® works at a higher temperature and has a faster and more efficient digestion process than existing AD systems because it uses a thermophilic digester rather than a conventional mesophilic digester. The new system is a small unit, so it is easier to integrate into a farm than a larger AD system.

“I have been involved with this technology for more than 15 years, and it is fantastic to see it turning into a reality. What this means, in practice, is that for the first time small farms can benefit from their own AD system.”

Editors’ notes:

1.       Pictures available from info@ndmedia.co.uk

2.       More information from www.ngbiogas.com

3.       Archemax® was officially launched in July 2014 at the UK AD and Biogas show at the NEC.

4.       The first full scale commercial Archemax® unit was installed in 2014 at Wheeldon Off-Road Centre at Halwell, near Totnes, using maize silage at a rate of one tonne per day to deliver 15kw of power and 30kw of heat.

5.       Archemax® units are available from 100kW to 200 kW output.

6.       Press release issued by www.ndmedia.co.uk