Wales’ largest anaerobic digestion (AD) plant, powered by food waste from three North Wales counties, has begun generating renewable electricity.
Anaerobic digestion specialist Biogen has successfully completed commissioning of the plant which will process an impressive 22,500 tonnes of food waste every year, at the Waen, near St Asaph.
Biogen Waen will process the food waste collected weekly from Conwy, Denbighshire and Flintshire, generating 1MW of green energy, enough to power 2,000 homes.
The AD plant has the largest capacity for food waste anaerobic digestion in the country, and is Biogen’s second plant in North Wales following the completion of its GwyriAD plant in Llywyn Isaf near Caernarfon last year.
As well as generating renewable energy, the plant will also produce a biofertiliser as part of the process, which will be supplied for use on nearby farmland.
Julian O’Neill, chief executive of Biogen, said: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Denbighshire County Council, Conwy County Borough Council and Flintshire County Council to help the authorities, and Wales as a whole, lead the way in recycling food waste.
“It’s great to see separate food waste collections operating successfully for residents and businesses across all three local authorities, which has contributed to Wales reaching its food recycling target ahead of schedule.
“The Waen plant and our other projects in Wales are also making a significant contribution to the target of meeting 15 per cent of the UK’s energy demand through renewable sources by 2020.”
Construction work on the plant, which is located on the site of a former abattoir, began in 2012, taking just over a year to complete.
The anaerobic digestion plants will help councils prevent food waste from being lost at landfill, as well as helping Wales and the UK reach its target of producing 15 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
Sam Bates, waste operations manager at Denbighshire County Council, said: “We are very proud of the AD plant and also pleased that residents across the three counties will have access to the scheme. We’ll be encouraging householders to make full use of the kitchen caddies with the knowledge that their food waste is being put to such good use to create renewable energy.”
The plant brings the total amount of food waste processed by Biogen in Wales to approximately 34,000 tonnes per year, with a third plant due to begin operations in Rhondda Cynon Taff next year.
Case study
The Twamley family, from Rhuddlan, are one of the households across Conwy, Denbighshire and Flintshire whose waste will be turned into renewable energy at the Biogen Waen plant.
Lyndsey Twamley and her two children have made recycling food waste a part of their everyday routine, and are excited at the prospect of their waste being transformed into renewable energy just a few miles away from their home.
“Recycling food waste has become a normal part of our routine now,” Lyndsey said.
“We’ve recycled ever since it was introduced, but I hadn’t really given much thought to what happens after it’s been collected. It’s good to know that leftover food from within the county is being recycled and turned into energy locally, which is so much better than it going to waste.
“I have two children aged four and seven, who both know that their leftovers goes into the kitchen caddy under the sink. It’s good that recycling is second nature to them now, they also learn about recycling in school and just do their little bit to recycle any waste that’s left over.
“Recycling food has made me think more about what we throw away, and I think in some ways it’s even helped us save money by shopping smarter, so there’s less waste at the end of the week.
“It’s also great that there’s no longer leftover food that can start to smell bad in the main kitchen bin because my food waste bin gets emptied weekly and knowing that it is not being lost at landfill can only be positive.”
A new green energy plant at St Asaph will be powered by food waste
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