Small-scale anaerobic digestion plant benefits Kent farmers.
Kent farmers, Clive and Richard Apps are experiencing the benefits of a new revenue stream and source of sustainable energy through small-scale anaerobic digestion (AD), with the recent completion of their AD plant.
The on-farm AD technology from AD4Energy Ltd has enabled them to continue to grow and expand their business, due to the income created through the Feed in Tariff (FiTs). Not only is there money coming into the farm but expenditure on energy bills is being reduced by the plants ability to produced renewable electricity and heat. Four Barns, a 200kW AD plant, running on Maize, is consistently performing between 95-100% total possible output. Around 17,000m³ of biogas is being produced a week, indicating the digester is biologically healthy. Richard Apps, from Four Barns AD plant stated the following: “There is no doubt that without the AD plant the business would not be able to sustain current levels of employment with the low commodity prices. Economically, the plant is extremely beneficial to the business’ financial health... Fundamentally we can budget on our return and avoid some of the risk from the heavily volatile markets, which
the agricultural industry faces today. As our plant runs on 100% energy crop, it has given us two extra crops to our rotation. This is one of the few weapons we have to fight against an ever increasing blackgrass problem... The larger variety of crops in our rotation has allowed us to decrease the blackgrass seed bank in the soil and still gain a good margin per hectare. Due to the size of our plant we are really excited about spreading the nutrient-rich digestate onto our land... It will help to dramatically boost organic matter in the soil as well as considerably reducing our compound fertiliser bill.
Small-scale anaerobic digestion company wins first project in Cambridgeshire.
AD4Energy, specialists in small-scale anaerobic digestion (AD) have signed a contract with arable farmers, Tom and Daniel Bedford, to design, construct and commission a 165kW plant based at their family farm in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. The plant will supply the farm with a source of renewable energy and will provide the business with a secure, consistent revenue stream. Construction will commence on site at the beginning of May and is scheduled to be completed by January 2017. The plant will run alongside their organic composting facility; further boosting the growing and expanding business. The client, Tom Bedford, stated the following: “We are really looking forward to seeing the AD plant being constructed over the next few months; and in the not too distant future, start enjoying the
advantages of small-scale anaerobic digestion. This is an exciting time for the business as we continue to expand and find new ways to generate income and produce renewable energy.
Even with the recent reductions in the Feed in Tariff (FiT), the project is still an economically viable route for us to take.” AD4Energy is passionate about seeing more UK farmers reap the benefits of AD and is continuing to provide clients with sustainable solutions to help them when diversifying their farm.