MT-Energie contracted for the expansion of existing AD plants in the UK
MT-Energie UK, a provider of anaerobic digestion plants in the UK, will build and integrate additional digesters for two existing AD operations in the UK: on the Apsley Estate in Hampshire, and at Clayton Hall Farm, West Yorkshire.
In both cases MT-Energie has been chosen to assess and carry out all works relating to the plant expansion, in some cases replacing components supplied by the previous technology supplier.
The 500kW AD plant on the Apsley Estate, which started operations in 2012, will be scaled up to generate a total output of 1,100kWe and 2000 m3/h raw biogas, while the 400kW AD plant in Yorkshire will soon reach production of 1000kWe, expanding the actual stream of renewable energy produced on the farm.
The two revised AD projects follow quite different strategies for the expansion programme.
Thanks to the vicinity to gas infrastructure, at Apsley Farm, it is proposed to integrate electricity production with gas-to-grid generation, therefore accessing the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) biomethane tariff. The feedstock will remain mainly of agricultural origin: grains, maize silage, energy beet and whole crop rye silage grown on the farms own land.
On the other hand Clayton Hall Farm will increase the use of food waste as feedstock – it hopes to reach 80% of the total substrate in this form, versus 20% from agricultural residues and purpose grown crops.
As Ben Donaldson, MT-Energie's national sales manager, explains: 'These are the most recent expansion projects we are undertaking however we have received more and more requests from existing AD operators for extension or re-powering solutions which will reduce parasitic loads and plant downtime.'