Three AD plants planned for US

NEO Energy, a renewable energy company developing three AD plants in Massachusetts and Rhode Island in the US, has signed an agreement with Himark Biogas for their design, construction and start-up.

The plants will recycle food waste to produce renewable electricity and organic-based fertiliser.

'NEO's anaerobic digestion plants will recycle food waste generated by supermarkets, food processors, restaurants and other institutions, and divert that waste away from landfills and incineration facilities,' says NEO Energy president Robert Nicholson. 'Our first plants will be available to those businesses that will need to comply with the 2014 commercial food waste disposal ban in Massachusetts and the recently enacted law in Rhode Island requiring that food residuals produced by large waste generators be recycled in 2016.'

Under the agreement, Himark will act as a technology licensor and owner's representative on behalf of NEO Energy during the various stages of the plants.

Himark's patented 'IMUS' technology can produce renewable energy from food waste, source separated organic materials, cow manure, ethanol plant waste, slaughterhouse waste and agricultural waste.

The technology is also designed to handle feedstock containing large amounts of sand, dirt, rocks, plastic and cellulose.

Shane Chrapko, CEO of Himark Biogas, says: 'The development of the anaerobic digestion plants will positively contribute to effective food waste recycling, profitable pathogen-free fertiliser production, energy self-sufficiency and a reduction in carbon emissions for the local communities. Each tonne of food waste diverted from the landfill will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by just over 1 tonne of CO2 ¬equivalent.'