Skip to content

ADBA member Xergi gets third order from the same client

ADBA MEMBER PRESS RELEASE

After taking stock of the market, Staples Vegetables has now placed their third order with Xergi in three years.

Staples Vegetables, one of the UK’s largest vegetable growers with several production units around the UK, has decided to set up another biogas plant in Sibsey near Boston.

The national grid has insufficient capacity near Sibsey to be able to supply the power required for the company’s increased production of vegetables, including refrigeration and storage of potatoes. This is why Staples has asked Xergi to build a biogas plant that will be able to produce the required capacity of electricity as well as convert the company’s out of specification vegetables to a good-quality fertiliser.

This means that Staples Vegetables has placed its third order with Xergi in just three years.

Living up to expectations

The owners of Staples Vegetables, brothers George and Vernon Read, examined the market thoroughly before they decided who was to build their new biogas plant.

Vernon Read:

We have looked at various options and evaluated each on the basis of a number of factors such as long-term costs, profits and quality. We have also looked at various potential suppliers. How stable are the businesses? Do they have solid financial backing? It has been important to us to choose a company that is able to guarantee its product and solve any problems that may arise during construction.

After having assessed a number of suppliers, Xergi was chosen once again.

Vernon Read:

They meet all the criteria that are important to us. From our point of view, their plants represent a good investment. Xergi, of course, also has the advantage of already having built a plant that we are very happy with.

Great flexibility

As far as Xergi’s technology goes, Staples greatly values the flexibility of the plant.

Vernon Read:

We are able to use different types of biomass, as well as pasteurise if required. We are very pleased with the feeding system. By being divided into three parts it offers us the flexibility to continue operation should any problems arise.

A good investment

At Xergi, UK country manager Colin Steel is extremely pleased about the order.

It is, of course, an excellent feather in our caps to have a satisfied client who is coming back to us with their third order within a short time period. I think it shows that although we may not be the cheapest supplier in the market, we still represent the best overall investment when you take costs and profits over the long term into consideration.

The new plant

The new biogas plant in Sibsey will be built to operate on out of specification vegetable and maize silage.

Two engines with a total capacity of up to 2 MW of electricity will also be installed. The plant will first and foremost supply electricity to cover what is required by the vegetable production on site. Surplus power will be exported to the national grid.

At the same time, Staples is working on plans to set up greenhouses where surplus heat from the electricity production can be used. The biogas plant will replace a diesel-powered generator which will only be used as an emergency back-up system.

Early 2011, Staples Vegetables opened its first biogas plant located near Wrangle about 10 miles from Sibsey. In February 2012, Staples Vegetables placed their second order with Xergi. This order included an extension of the Wrangle plant where capacity will double. The extended Wrangle plant is expected to be commissioned in October 2012.

The new plant near Sibsey is expected to be commissioned in the spring/summer of 2013.

For further information, please contact:

Colin Steel, UK Country Manager, Xergi Ltd. T: +44 (0) 779 523 1599 Jørgen Ballermann, Chief Executive, Xergi A/S T: +45 99 35 16 00

Back To Top