£22 million, 15MW AD plant opens at UK dairy

A new 15MW anaerobic digestion (AD) facility has opened in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

According to a statement, the new facility, opened by Olleco, the renewables division of ABP Food Group, will produce enough sustainable energy to power 12,000 homes. ABP has invested £22 million (€24.7 million) in the project.

The new AD plant is located next to the Arla dairy, allowing it to become a zero carbon milk processing facility.

Robert Behan, managing director at Olleco, said the new facility is an example of the circular economy in action, with multiple supply chain partners working together to deliver a sustainable outcome.

“This state of the art Olleco facility will convert in excess of 100,000 tonnes of waste into heat, power and biomethane for export to the national grid, and biofertiliser for both of ABP Food Group’s and Arla’s farmer suppliers,” Behan explained.

“Sustainability is a key priority right across the ABP Food Group. The company has invested and implemented innovative sustainability measures that are world class, trail blazing and meet the exceptionally high targets – to reduce the environmental footprint of our business – we have set ourselves.”

In 2015, ABP opened the ‘world’s first’ carbon neutral abattoir in Ellesmere, UK, where waste material from the food processing operation is used in conjunction with used cooking oil to provide the energy requirements on site. Earlier in 2017, ABP achieved triple accreditation from The Carbon Trust for the third consecutive year.

Olleco, ABP’s renewables division, collects waste food and cooking oil from the retail and food service sector and converts this waste into biodiesel, biogas and biofertiliser. The company employs over 600 people across the UK.