EcoWerf officially opens new AD plant in Leuven

Intermunicipal environmental firm EcoWerf opened its new anaerobic digestion (AD) plant in Leuven, Belgium, on 17 March.
EcoWerf already produces 20,000 tonnes of valuable compost from source-separated biowaste each year, and biogas will now be produced from the same biowaste.
To achieve this, DRANCO has constructed a new digester for the plant.
"DRANCO stands for a team of people who are motivated to deliver a contribution to improve the environment. It gives us great pleasure that we could do this in our own country by realising this plant for and with EcoWerf," said Piet Smis, CEO of DRANCO.
EcoWerf said that this installation enables it to maximise its energy yield, and to create an energy-positive site. The firm can produce 12,000 MWh of green heat every year, which is equivalent to the annual heat consumption of 500 families, it said.
It also annually generates 11,000 MWh of green of electricity, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 3,000
families, it added. A quarter (25%) of the produced energy is reused in its own buildings and facilities, while 75% of the energy generated is delivered to the electricity grid.
In addition, EcoWerf continues to produce 20,000 tonnes of compost to ensure closed-loop recycling in the EcoWerf region. All in all, this results in a CO2 saving of 5,000 tonnes per year and thus EcoWerf contributes to Flanders' climate objectives.
Especially in these times of energy scarcity, the construction of the digester is a strategic investment with a high sustainability potential that is economically justified, concluded the company.