Cenin Limited, Anagest, TEG, developing Anaerobic Digestion plants for food waste creating renewable energy in Wales
Turning food waste into energy
Anagest has partnered with The TEG Group a national company which has developed food waste collection contracts with many local authorities and currently converts this food waste into high quality organic fertiliser.
Anagest and TEG plan to develop a site adjacent to the Cenin Cement manufacturing plant into one of the most advanced organic waste treatment facilities in the UK. The AD facility will process food waste along with energy crops grown on adjacent land as feedstock for the AD plant. Co-located In Vessel Composting (IVC) capacity, using TEG's own IVC technology will ensure that the facility offers cost-effective landfill diversion for materials, such as biobags and green waste, which are less suitable as AD feedstock.
The AD technology will be supplied by German AD specialists UTS Biogas, who have built more than 80 turnkey AD facilities across Europe. TEG will construct the waste reception facilities and take responsibility for project delivery as well as securing all waste supply contracts. If all approvals proceed as planned, work on the site should start early next year.
Developing AD to process food waste and energy crops will provide our sister company, Cenin, with the heat and power it requires and is a substantial step towards delivering the first 'Zero-CO2' cement replacement manufacturing facility.
Anaerobic Digestion wastes nothing: the biogas generated from food and farm by-products is converted into energy and heat which can be utilised in local industry and to support the local economy.
The geographical location of the Stormydown site on the M4 corridor, allows ready access for waste streams and helps to keep the environmental impact of waste collection low. The site is close to extensive farm land where compost and digestate products will be used to grow energy crops, so the carbon impact of product management is also very low.
Where does the food waste go?
Both locally produced industrial and domestic food waste will be utilised to provide a local recycling solution . This exciting project will help local authorities meet government targets. Local food manufacturers can also be helped to meet their environmental waste management targets all the while bolstering local economic activity.
15 million tonnes of food waste is produced each year from catering and food manufacturing. Each household produces about 250kg of food waste per year, one third of food purchased and equalling 7 million tonnes a year.
AD and composting is a viable alternative to landfill and is a far better option in terms of reducing global warming.
Further benefits of AD:
- Offers a long term, local, environmentally sensitive waste disposal option
- Helps meet government environmental targets, social and environmental responsibilities.
- Boosts green credentials and reduces carbon footprints.
- Reduces the amount of carbon dioxide and methane released to the atmosphere which occurs with landfill and composting.
- Negates rapidly increasing landfill fees and tax.
- Reduces the amount of synthetic fertilizers needed (the production of 1 tonne of nitrogen results in the emission of 2 tonnes of carbon dioxide), further reducing emissions
Government Policy
Wastes are increasingy difficult to dispose of due to European, National and Local Governmental regulations. Together with the waste collection and handling expertise provided by TEG our AD plant will help food waste producers meet their environmental, social and economic obligations.
Initiatives such as the Renewable Obligation, the Climate Change Levy, Landfill Tax and The Nitrates Directive all put incresing pressure and red tape on manufacturing industry. In particular the government has a key target : By 2010 to reduce the amount of industrial waste and commercial waste sent to landfill to less than 80% of that landfiled in 1998.
This integrated co-operation between TEG-Anagest-Cenin generates an exemplar site in Europe, which will demonstrate in practice how all of the Welsh Assembly Government?s environmental initiatives can be joined up for the benefit of everyone
Jane Davidson, Wales’ sustainability minister is amongst those urging people to realise food waste as a valuable resource. At a recent conference she said :
“I am urging local councils to use anaerobic digestion as their preferred method for the management of the collected food waste from now on.”
We are running out of resources and the Welsh Assembly Government say all landfill must stop. They believe 70% of waste should be recycled, with the remaining 30% (which cannot be recycled) turned to energy. AD is the most sustainable option for the organic fraction.
Renewable energy offers a real alternative to fossil fuels, particularly against a background of rapidly increasing fuel costs and legislation This is a local small scale and accessible solution which will allow Wales to be more self-sufficient and sustainable in energy and in waste management strategy implementation. AD is economically viable alone and can provide significant contributions to regional and national economy.
Tel: 01656 789970
Email contact
Lyn Anthony
The Research Centre
Unit 1, Former Stormydown Aerodrome
Bridgend, Wales CF33 4RS
70% of waste should be recycled, with the remaining 30% (which cannot be recycled) turned to energy.
Anagest is a partnership between Cenin Cement Ltd a manufacturer of ultra low carbon cement replacements and R & L Anthony, a family run farming business based on the Tythegston Estate near Bridgend, South Wales, UK
Cenin is also developing a low-carbon business park with land available for recycling businesses wishing to utilise our green energy
TEG Director of Projects Nial Rees is based at Stormydown and can be contacted on 07971 636 333.
TEG Wales Projects Office
Cenin R&D Facility, Stormy Down
Bridgend, CF33 4RS
Download our Energy Brochure to read more about the specific benefits of Anagest BioGas