Anaerobic digestion

Anaerobic Digestion involves the decomposition of organic material in the absence of oxygen, producing biogas and nutrient-rich digestate, or a nutrient-rich slurry. This can be used as fuel or fertiliser. 

How does it work?

1. Organic waste materials like food scraps or animal manure are put into an airtight container called a digester.
2. In the absence of oxygen, special bacteria in the digester break down the waste, producing biogas and a nutrient-rich byproduct.
3. The biogas is captured and used for energy, like heat or electricity, and the remaining byproduct is used as a high-quality, natural fertiliser.

Tier 1: Micro Scale Anaerobic Digestion

Generate biogas for cooking onsite; bio-fertiliser is produced as a by-product. By contributing 2 tonnes of food waste per annum, or 5kg of food waste per day, here’s what your energy return could be*:

• 4kWh a day, equivalent to 1-2 hours of cooking
• £850 worth of liquid fertiliser per annum
• £650 worth of gas savings per annum
• £315 worth of bin lift savings per annum

Tier 2: Small Scale Anaerobic Digestion

Significant food waste into biogas, allowing you to create heating/cooling or electricity. Cut down waste disposal costs. A minimum of 183 tonnes of food waste per annum, or 500kg per day is required, here’s what your energy return could be*:

• 52,000 kWh of electricity per annum
• 70,000 kWh of heat per annum
• £17,000 worth of electricity per annum
• £3,000 worth of heat per annum
• £1,000 worth of fertiliser per annum

Tier 3: Large Scale Anaerobic Digestion

Significant food waste into biogas, allowing you to create heating/cooling or electricity. Cut down waste disposal costs. For example, contributing 60,000 tonnes of food waste per annum, or 164 tonnes of food waste per day, here’s what your energy return could be*:

• 16,000,000 kWh of electricity pa
• £3,000,000 worth of electricity pa
• £300,000 worth of fertiliser pa

*Please note that power prices and power generation figures will depend on the technology chosen and the pricing at the time.

Advantages

• Sustainability credentials: An on-site Anaerobic Digestion unit will significantly reduce your carbon footprint, reducing CO2 and other harmful gas emissions when waste would otherwise be transported by multiple lorry journeys to the landfill or off-site Anaerobic Units. This contributes to sustainability goals and enhances your reputation among environmentally-conscious customers. 
• Staff engagement: Your staff will also become more engaged due to enhanced sustainability efforts through visible waste management.
• Reduced costs: Ability to lower waste disposal costs and generate a new income stream through the scale of excess energy and biofertilizer. 
• Energy cost independence: The biogas produced can be used to generate heat and electricity for your facility. As a result, utility bills could be reduced by up to 40%.
• Energy grid independence
• Waste reduction: Anaerobic Digestion can convert up to 100% of food waste into valuable resources, helping your facility align with circular economy principles. 
• Pest control: Eliminates flies and rodents.
• Nutrient recovery: Digestate enhances soil health, reducing the need for chemical fertilisers.
• Remote monitoring: Control Energy Costs ensure optimal performance through remote oversight.

Anaerobic Digestion to biogas

This technology, ideal for food waste, requires a minimum input of 400kg per day for a 20-foot containerised unit. It’s successfully deployed in diverse settings, including farms, breweries, food manufacturing and processing etc.

Advantages

• Renewable energy: Produces biogas for electricity and heat generation.
• Long-term energy savings: Typically lower costs than grid-supplied utilities.
• Provides stable lower energy costs: unaffected by inevitable market fluctuations.
• Grid independence
• Potential additional income stream: Digestate can be sold.
• Scalability: Modular Anaerobic Digestion systems can be scaled for different waste volumes.

Anaerobic Digestion to liquid slurry

Micro Anaerobic Digestion to liquid slurry processes organic material anaerobically, producing a nutrient-rich slurry. This technology is suitable for small-scale applications, requiring a minimum input of 200kg per day for a compact unit. This technology is successfully deployed in diverse settings, including hotels, farms, breweries and educational institutions.

Treated slurry requires the appropriate storage. It can either be stored in tanks or lagoons, However, the upcoming 2027 legislation mandates all slurry lagoons to be covered. Effective covers sit on top of the slurry store to trap methane and provide an oxygen-free environment for the production of biogas.

Advantages

• Nutrient recovery: The slurry enriches soil health, reducing reliance on chemical fertilisers.
• Potential new income stream as output can be sold.
• Waste reduction: Efficiently reduces food waste volume.
• Waste separation: Separates non-food waste from food waste and is easily removed.

Finance options

The entity itself

Using existing financial resources or asset finance that we can introduce.

The suppliers

A number of suppliers will fund the technology themselves and create a commercial contract with the entity for the energy and fertiliser.

A third party

Green projects are very attractive to the equity market which will provide funding for suitable projects. Equally, there are grants available.

Timeline