The innovative Waen anaerobic digestion (AD) plant will process 22,500 tonnes of food waste each year to generate over 1MW of renewable electricity for the grid and a biofertiliser for nearby farmland.  The electricity generated will be sufficient to power 1,500 homes continually for a year. 

The food waste will be collected by the Councils from local households and will also be supplied by food manufacturers, retailers and caterers. 

Subject to planning permission, work will begin on the multi million pound project in Spring 2013 and the plant will become operational in the first half of 2014. 

Richard Barker, Biogen’s CEO said, “Biogen is looking forward to starting construction on our second Welsh AD plant alongside our partners, the North Wales Consortium and Iona Capital.  We look forward to becoming leaders in this field in Wales. 

Chair of the project's Management Board, Cllr Mike Priestley said "We're delighted to have reached financial close with Biogen. The anaerobic digestion facility will be a vital piece in the jigsaw to enable us to increase our recycling rates and to divert more waste away from landfill than ever before". 

Councillor Daivd Smith, Denbighshire County Council’s Lead Member for Environment said:

“We are delighted to make this announcement. This new AD facility will be good for the environment, because it will generate electricity from the food waste that people have thrown away. Biogen have a proven track record in delivering AD facilities” 

Nick Ross, Director, Iona Capital said: “This is the second project we have completed in Wales and we are delighted to have worked successfully again in partnership with Biogen and the Welsh Government.  These projects are the first local authority backed schemes focussed on Anaerobic Digestion and we are pleased to have been able to support such an innovative regional infrastructure program.” 

The project has been positively received by local residents and farmers alike who have been especially keen to find out about the benefits of the biofertiliser and the techniques used to apply it to the crop.