Anaerobic Digestion
Anaerobic digestion (AD) is emerging in the UK as an important technology that will play an important part in the UK’s renewable energy targets for 2020, as well as providing users with a range of more immediate benefits. AD is already established in some European countries, and there is a strong determination in the UK that we become a world leader in AD expertise. This determination is creating a growing UK market, with positive and exciting business and commercial opportunities. Anaerobic digestion is one of North Energy’s emerging key services.
Overview
The process of AD uses natural bacteria to treat a range of biodegradable materials (feedstock) such as agricultural waste - manure and slurry, as well as commercial food waste, in approved plant. This process produces renewable energy in the form of methane rich biogas. This gas is captured and can be used locally or injected into the grid for heat and power, as well as transport fuel.
AD offers important economic, environmental and social benefits to rural economies, as well as commercial initiatives. It diverts food waste from landfill; the residue from the treated feedstock (digestate) can be used as agricultural fertiliser and soil conditioner, replacing chemical alternatives; methane capture; and minimization of slurry pollution of water which has been identified as a key issue by the Environment Agency. These benefits can lead to improved commercial viability of farms, and to job creation and stability.
Even though AD is currently an emerging technology, legislative and regulatory implications still need to be observed. However, this should not deter the consideration of AD for a range of applications, and the North Energy team can help to guide any interested parties through feasibility and assessment of appropriate technology and plant, to carbon calculation, life cycle analysis, and ultimately towards planning success. The North Energy AD team comprises in-house specialist knowledge, and highly experienced associate support that offers clients a comprehensive AD service.
Our Services
Feasibility studies
- assessment of appropriate technologies
- sizing of plant
- siting of plant
- identification and advice on planning issues
- evaluation of social and environmental impacts and benefits
Economic assessments
- assessment of capital costs, annual income and revenue
- production of business models
- development of tools for economic calculations
Our Team on Anaerobic Digestion
North Energy has in-house expertise, as well as ‘associate partnership’ arrangements with some of the UK’s leading AD industry experts which enables us to provide a comprehensive AD service for commercial and on-farm applications.
The team has extensive experience of designing spreadsheets and on-line tools for the calculation of cost comparisons and benefits.
Recent and Ongoing Work
Modelling of anaerobic digestion in connection with the assessment of greenhouse gas emissions through the development of MS Excel workbook for the Biomass Environmental Assessment Tool (BEAT) for the Environment Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which was co-authored by North Energy (accessible via www.biomassenergycentre.org). BEAT incorporates workbooks for fourteen anaerobic digestion options including on-farm anaerobic digestion of dairy manure, pig manure, wet poultry waste and food waste with heat only, electricity only and combined heat and power generation.
The evaluation of anaerobic digestion and biogas for transport application has been undertaken, along with other biomass energy technologies, for the Directorate-General for Environment of the European Commission (see www.biofuel-cities.eu).
Practical work involving low tech/low cost anaerobic digestion was conducted in China (North Energy staff formerly employed in the Resources Research Unit of Sheffield Hallam) as part of the SUCCESS Project for the European Commission.
Techno-economic modelling on a biomass to liquids project for the National Non-Food Crops Centre (outputs, in the form of a Final Report and access to MS Excel workbooks, can be found on www.nnfcc.co.uk).