A ‘CUTTING-EDGE’ £30million food waste plant on the site of the former Worcestershire College of Agriculture will launch a ‘green revolution’ in the county.
That’s the view of Worcester-based developers Stenergy who have revealed plans for a multi-million-pound scheme at the Hindlip Lane site.
If approved, the food waste to biomethane gas plant will embrace the biomethane Gas to Grid Scheme which takes a holistic approach to Worcester and Wychavon’s greener future and offers a multi-faceted transformation of heat for homes, transport and food waste management strategies, to highlight but a few.
Stenergy’s biomethane plant will initially produce biogas which will be utilised to generate both site-wide electricity and heat demands for the plant’s anaerobic digesters, using a combined heat and power unit.
Cleaning of the biogas to biomethane takes place by capturing and liquifying unwanted carbon dioxide, which is responsibly sequestered to industrial markets, where the now compliant biomethane is injected into Cadent’s Local Transmission System (LTS) as a valuable renewable green fuel.
With the country’s highly developed gas infrastructure repurposed to accept, transport and deliver renewable green gases, biomethane will make a game-changing alternative and far greener contribution to the decarbonisation of the UK energy supply.
Once fully operational, the plant is expected to save an estimate 16,000 tonnes of domestic food waste going to landfill and incineration each year which forms an essential part of the biomethane plant’s total feedstock requirements.
Keith Warburton, Stenergy’s director of operations and delivery said: “Stenergy has been working closely with local authorities and key stakeholders over the past 18 months. We have submitted our proposals to Worcester City Council, detailing the construction and operation of the biomethane plant which will produce and inject ‘green gas’ into Cadent’s Local Transmission System.
The plant will bring benefits to multiple essential sectors including food waste, energy and transport and deliver huge socio-economic and environmental benefits capturing and recycling organic wastes into green energy.
“Stenergy is keen to develop an effective working relationship with both Worcester City, County, and Wychavon Councils.
“We are seeking to proactively assist local authorities meet their environmental requirements developing a partnership which will significantly enhance Worcestershire’s green credentials.
“The use of biomethane sources from food wastes is widely recognised as a key stage in the journey to meet the UK’s Government net zero targets.
“Our plant at Hindlip will literally turn hundreds of thousands of tonnes of food waste into green energy and in so doing, bring jobs both directly and indirectly with many other tangible benefits.
“We have already consulted widely on the project including briefing two of the county’s Members of Parliament. We have had a great reaction to our proposals. We are 110 per cent committed to developing a greener future for Worcester.”
Sharon Smith, CEO of the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce said: “Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce is keen to hear about upcoming plans which will help achieve the counties net zero ambitions and are really interested to learn about Stenergy’s new, cutting edge carbon neutral technologies.
“It’s great to see our members bringing forward creative, sustainable projects that could make a significant difference to this agenda in the future,” she added.
