Project to Develop Small Scale Anaerobic Digestion

02 February 2012

A consortium led by The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) has launched a new project to speed up the development and testing of small scale anaerobic digestion technologies.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) has been cited by the UK government as a way of reducing carbon emission, providing energy security and generating green jobs. However, according to the consortium the potential of this technology has only been within reach of large, profitable organisations.

According to CPI, studies have highlighted that there is an unmet market need for commercially viable AD plants at the 250 kWe scale and below.

The Small Scale Anaerobic Digestion Technology (SSAD-TECH) project will address these needs by looking at how various feedstocks behave in AD reactors. The aim is to accelerate the development of new technologies.

The project aims to reduce capital costs of a small AD plant, while delivering a process capable of accepting biomass feed streams, saving significant land fill tariffs and generating power, and/or revenue from the sale of power, for the end user.

CPI said that the small scale AD system will be designed to generate income and power for farms and food manufacturers, and also resolve the issue of biomass waste disposal.

In addition to CPI, the consortium comprises CNG Services, Lyvennet Renewable Energy, Wardell Armstrong and Field Science Limited.

The two year project has received a funding grant from the government-backed Technology Strategy Board and will work with a total budget of £880,000.


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