Holsworthy Biogas Plant in West Devon is the UK’s first and most productive AD power station. The plant, which has the capacity to process 140,000m3 of organic material a year processes organic commercial wastes to produce renewable energy and a fertiliser product. Typically, the plant produces 800-1,000 MWhs per month. Around 90% of the electricity generated at the plant is exported to the National Grid, with the other 10% powering the plant itself.
NISP has been identifying feedstock for the plant since 2007 with a number of companies including Kraft Foods. Most recently, NISP established a link between Holsworthy and another member, Apetito, one of Europe’s leading frozen food suppliers.
In a drive to improve its waste management practices on its Trowbridge site, Apetito turned to NISP’s South West team for help in finding an alternative outlet for the 1,700 tonnes of pastry waste generated at the plant each year that was currently being sent to landfill.
This is where the NISP network and retained knowledge on regional resource streams comes into its own, as the South West team identified a synergy in relation to Apetito’s haves and Holsworthy’s wants.
Having established the link between the two companies, the scope for sending additional resource streams, such as animal by-products and process effluent has been opened up.
Mark Lovett, Health Safety and Environment Manager at Apetito said: “The connection forged by NISP with Holsworthy has directly led to Apetito reducing the amount of waste it sends to landfill and has saved the company a significant amount of money.”
