Green energy specialists, Biogen will build, own, and operate the anaerobic digestion (AD) plant at the disused quarry site on the Merevale & Blyth Estate. The plant will process up to 45,000 tonnes of food waste each year from households, food manufacturers and food retailers in the region. 

The electricity produced by the Merevale plant will be enough to meet the annual demand of 4,000 average homes – more than the combined households of nearby Baxterley and Atherstone.

The food waste will be processed by means of anaerobic digestion; in addition to generating renewable electricity for the grid the plant will produce a valuable biofertiliser for use on the surrounding Estate and other local farmland.

Planning for the AD plant was granted by Warwickshire County Council in 2011 and Biogen committed funding to start the construction on the Merevale project earlier this year.

Richard Barker, CEO Biogen said, “We are delighted to be starting the Merevale project. The plant will be an excellent addition to Biogen’s expanding network of facilities. It further strengthens our position as the leader in food waste AD treatment in the UK, and we look forward to enhancing our offering to existing and new clients in the heart of England”