Dairy moves into greener pastures
In the UK liquid anaerobic digestion (AD) pioneer BV Dairy is aiming to cut its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by over 65%.
Reducing its carbon footprint by 1,200 tonnes annually is the equivalent of planting 120,000 trees. This change will also help towards saving the dairy an estimated £150,000 (€174,000) a year.
The AD system is expected to be fully operational by August this year and will generate more than 75% of the site’s electricity consumption.
While Clearfleau designed and will build the digester, ENER-G is designing, supplying and operating the combined heat and power (CHP) technology that will convert biogas into renewable energy. Designed to use waste matter ENER-G’s CHP system will significantly lower the dairy’s consumption of fossil fuels by generating 1,539MW of electricity and 1,685MW of heat each year. The excess electricity will be sold to the National Grid. Surplus heat will be used in the production process.
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) Environment Transformation Fund have funded this project, supported by the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
Alan McInnes, technical director of BV Dairy said: ‘The project has so many benefits because it will generate energy and reduce waste disposal costs, and at the same time it will have a major impact on the company’s carbon footprint – in fact, the projected carbon footprint reduction is quite staggering.’
According to estimates by Dairy UK, approximately 346,000 tonnes of CO2 could be saved each year if the AD system was installed across the UK’s dairy sector.
Reducing its carbon footprint by 1,200 tonnes annually is the equivalent of planting 120,000 trees. This change will also help towards saving the dairy an estimated £150,000 (€174,000) a year.
The AD system is expected to be fully operational by August this year and will generate more than 75% of the site’s electricity consumption.
While Clearfleau designed and will build the digester, ENER-G is designing, supplying and operating the combined heat and power (CHP) technology that will convert biogas into renewable energy. Designed to use waste matter ENER-G’s CHP system will significantly lower the dairy’s consumption of fossil fuels by generating 1,539MW of electricity and 1,685MW of heat each year. The excess electricity will be sold to the National Grid. Surplus heat will be used in the production process.
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) Environment Transformation Fund have funded this project, supported by the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
Alan McInnes, technical director of BV Dairy said: ‘The project has so many benefits because it will generate energy and reduce waste disposal costs, and at the same time it will have a major impact on the company’s carbon footprint – in fact, the projected carbon footprint reduction is quite staggering.’
According to estimates by Dairy UK, approximately 346,000 tonnes of CO2 could be saved each year if the AD system was installed across the UK’s dairy sector.
