Anaerobic Digestion
Anaerobic Digestion (AD) technology is widely acknowledged by DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and environmental groups such as Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace, as one of the best solutions for the treatment of organic waste.
The process has a long track record of success and is very popular across Europe in countries like Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark and is the fastest
growing renewable technology in Germany with new digesters being built at a rate of about 1000 every year.*
The process happens naturally when bacteria break down organic matter in environments with little or no oxygen. AD is effectively a controlled and enclosed version of the anaerobic breakdown of organic waste in landfill which releases methane.
AD produces methane-rich biogas, which will be used by Selby Renewable Energy Park to drive a combined heat and power (CHP) plant. The CHP will produce clean, renewable electricity which will then be sent to the National Grid and heated water can be used as a low cost heat source for local businesses. The process also produces a high nutrient, low odour biofertiliser that can be used as a high quality substitute for chemical fertilisers on land.
* Greenpeace, February 2008
Useful links:
DEFRA (2007), “Waste Strategy for England 2007”, http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/strategy/strategy07/pdf/waste07-strategy.pdf
Friends of the Earth Anaerobic Digestion Briefing – Sept 2007