ADBA member Material Change completes commissioning at Symonds Farm

ADBA MEMBER PRESS RELEASE

Material Change and Symonds farm have just completed the commissioning phase of the new joint venture 1.4 MW AD plant.

The £5million plant, supported by Defra at Symonds Farm, Risby, near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk will generate sufficient to power 3,000 homes.

Constructed using Agraferm Technology the plant has been designed to make best use of the space available while maximising the energy yield from the feedstocks. Key to the Agraferm design is the high dry solid load and biogas yield. While the compactness keeps operating costs low and reduces internal energy consumption.

Material Change operate eight compost facilities in the UK including an in vessel compost plant and see the addition of this anaerobic digestion plant to its portfolio as a beneficial enhancement.

Sensitive to the food v fuel crops debate, there is a long term contract with the farm to supply maize and farm waste as feedstock and a corresponding agreement to apply the nutrient rich digestate (both in liquid and solid form) back to the adjoining farm land, the digestate has already been proved to increase crop yields.

The maize for the plant is grown as a break crop and offers weed control advantages which are currently impacting on wheat yields where an inferior break crop is used. Long term and organic matter levels in soils will ensure a more sustainable operation for the entire farm.