Statistic
A quarter of all food bought ends up being wasted
Laboratory services
We have state of the art laboratories in Bedfordshire and Shropshire carrying out regular tests on samples from our anaerobic digesters to ensure the plants are working optimally.
Every day, our technicians monitor biogas quality, biofertiliser properties and feedstock composition, check nutrient levels in the biofertiliser and monitor biological management and process control.
We also carry out in-house trials to assess specific feedstock or feedstock mixtures, analysing the characteristics of different types of waste, how they interact with one another, how they behave in the AD process and their potential biogas yield – all part of our continual development of the anaerobic digestion process and the types of AD plants required to meet current and future needs.
Research & Development
Our R&D facility in Ludlow, Shropshire enables us to be at the forefront of anaerobic digestion and biogas technology as we seek innovative ways of utilising digestate (the output of the digester that is used as biofertiliser) and biogas.
Over the years our close links with UK academics have allowed us to build up an extensive knowledge base about anaerobic digestion – important collaborators include Southampton University’s School of Civil Engineering and Environment and Harper Adams University College, Shropshire.Research is an important element of our work, often carried out in partnership with universities, government and local authorities. Some of our recent projects include:
- Biodigestion of kitchen waste Southampton University was our partner in this project funded by Biffaward and South Shropshire District Council.
Collected kitchen waste was treated in two anaerobic digesters operating at two temperatures (mesophilic and thermophilic) to compare their performance in stabilising and sanitisingthe source-separated food waste. - Farm-scale biogas and composting to improve bathing water quality Working with Enviros Consulting, we installed seven anaerobic digesters and three composting plants on farms in south-west Scotland in a project for the then Scottish Executive to prevent animal slurries polluting local bathing waters.
- Ryegrass project We investigated the use of ryegrass as an energy crop for biogas production in a study funded by the DTI’s (now BERR) New and Renewable Energy Programme.
- CROPGEN project This EU-funded project assessed the use of energy crops and agricultural residues as feedstocks for anaerobic digestion for the production of biogas as a sustainable fuel source. The project was led by Southampton University and involved 11 partners in six countries. We were one of the three industrial partners.
We are now partners in a new EU research group called VALORGAS. The VALORGAS project explores the ways in which the energy potential of food waste can be realised through effective collection, pre-processing and optimisation of the fuel conversion technology, and considers how integration of these aspects with improvements to conversion efficiencies can maximise the net energy gains.
We have also worked with WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) and the British Standards Institute to develop the Quality Protocol PAS110 for the use for digestate as a biofertiliser.
Michael Chesshire, our Technology Director, serves on the UK government’s Anaerobic Digestion Task Group, and he was recently made a Director of the Renewable Energy Association.
