MEMBER’S PRESS RELEASE: PlanET Biogas UK receives new order for construction of an AD plant

PlanET: Shropshire is enriching West Midlands Green Power with biogas

PlanET Biogas UK Ltd. has recently been contracted as technology provider for a 500 kWel AD plant in Shropshire. After having implemented already four AD plants in neighbouring district Herefordshire, Bitterley Biogas AD plant will be once again a forward looking bioenergy project producing 500 kWel by feeding predominantly cattle manure from the surrounding farms.

Banbury/Vreden, 1st September 2016: At the site near Ludlow excavation and concrete works for the digester have been completed; commissioning is planned at the end of September 2016. James Wheeler, GM of Bitterley Biogas AD Ltd, is particularly impressed with the quick response of PlanET Biogas UK. “This must be a record. It took just 2.5 months from our first contact with PlanET in late April until tank construction”.

The future operator of the facility, Mark Gatehouse, explains the motivation of Bitterley Biogas AD to invest in AD technology:

At full capacity the combined heat and power plant will supply clean and renewable energy for about 1000 households in the area. Beside this aspect, I am really pleased to improve our farm’s fertiliser management by digesting existing agricultural residues and recycling nutrients.

The state of the art AD plant will process 9000 tonnes of manure and 4000 tons of crop based feedstock, and thus use cattle manure of the local livestock farmers in the most environmental friendly way.

Efficiency and CO2 savings

The AD plant consists of a solid feeding container with advanced maceration technology to pre-treat longer straw fibres. The heated in-situ concrete digester is equipped with a gastight membrane air supported roof and adjustable mixers. After separation of solids a pump recirculates liquids into the digester so that no additional water will be necessary.

In future the excess heat of the CHP will be used for drying digestate. The product will be sold or applied as fertiliser on the fields. Through the reduction of volume the spreading of digestate will be consuming less fuel and thus further contribute to CO2 savings.

From left to right: Christof Langguth (PlanET Biogas UK), Mark Gatehouse (operator), Mark Beaumont (general contractor).

Digester of Bitterley Biogas AD after completion of concrete works.