Firm responds to government white paper on renewable energy by investing in Anaerobic Digestion as alternative energy source for pilot facility in Poole. New Earth Solutions, the specialist biological treatment and waste management firm, contracted by local authorities including Bournemouth Borough Council and Kent County Council to process both source segregated and residual 'black bag' municipal waste, has responded to the recent Government white paper, 'Meeting the Energy Challenge' by newly investing in Anaerobic Digestion (AD) technology at its facility in Canford, Poole.
The white paper, which sets out the Government's international and domestic energy strategy, promotes Anaerobic Digestion as a potentially 'clean' 'secure' and 'affordable' energy resource, and announces key changes to the UK renewable energy subsidy programme to support the development of competitive new technologies in the UK.
It is proposed that the Anaerobic Digestion process will be trialled at the New Earth biological treatment plant in Poole. The pilot plant will encompass technology specifically designed to treat solid wastes in order to generate sustainable electricity. The anaerobic digestion process is complimentary to New Earth's highly successful biological treatment programme, and the development will enable the firm to generate its own electricity requirements.
Comments Peter Gillatt, Managing Director at New Earth, "Our main objective is to be energy self sufficient and while using clean and safe renewable electricity, reduce our exposure to increasing energy costs and reliance on outside suppliers as far as possible.
The recent Energy white paper and renewable energy subsidy programme has given us a significant cost saving opportunity and the chance to harness an emergent and sustainable technology. We hope to safeguard the reliability of affordable energy supplies in all of our facilities across the UK".
Anaerobic Digestion is a biological process which works by breaking down organic materials within a sealed airtight vessel known as a 'digester'. Consequently biogas is released and this can be utilised as a fuel to generate electrical power.
New Earth Solution's Chairman, Bill Riddle, has a successful track record in pioneering renewable energy from municipal waste. A power station beside the New Earth Solutions facility in Canford, has been utilising methane gas from a nearby landfill site to generate electricity supplies to the National Grid for a period of over twelve years.
"The added advantage of Anaerobic Digestion" continues Gillatt "is that we are making a commitment to drastically reduce our Carbon Footprint, while positively addressing the challenge of long term energy supplies".
The firm, which specialises in providing effective solutions for the treatment of both source segregated and unsegregated Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) via bio stabilisation and mechanical recovery techniques, aims to be the first waste management facility in the UK to build a bespoke in-house Anaerobic Digestions technology system and become self-reliant for power.
New Earth Solutions Ltd
(i) Background
The company was founded by Bill Riddle, Chairman and majority shareholder in 2002 and following an extensive period of research and development began trading in 2005. In September 2005, Bill Riddle injected over £1 million equity into the company, followed by another £2.0 million from a private investor.
In 2006, project financing was secured from the German Bank, Nord LB, following a competitive tender to raise senior debt from a number of banks, including the Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays. The Nord LB facilities are available to draw down against Local Authority contracts and will support the roll out of up to ten 50,000 tonnes-per-annum facilities across the UK.
In the last ten months New Earth Solutions has secured contracts with Kent County Council, Essex County Council and Bournemouth Borough Council.
(ii) Technology
New Earth Solutions technology is designed to maximise the diversion of Biodegradable Municipal Waste (BMW) from landfill via non thermal biological technology, as assessed by the Organic Resource Agency (ORA), which is regulated by the Department of Rural Affairs for the Environment (DEFRA).
(iii) Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS)
New Earth Solutions processes are designed in accordance with the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS) which began on April 1st 2005, with proven capability to assist Waste Disposal Authorities in meeting their obligations under the EU landfill directive. For further information on LATS see http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment /waste.localauth/lats/index.htm.
(iv) DTI Energy White Paper
The Government has proposed changes to its renewable energy subsidy to support technologies which include anaerobic digestion, gasification and pyrolysis.
For further information on the Energy White Paper: Meeting the Energy Challenge – 23 may 2007 see http://www.dtistats.net/ewp/