Biffa plans to build anaerobic digestion plant

Waste management firm Biffa has appointed Ros Roca Envirotec, part of the Ros Roca Environment Group, as the technology provider for its new 80,000 tonne-per-year anaerobic digestion facility to be built at Cannock, Staffordshire.

The facility will utilise waste food to generate 4 megawatts of electricity and create a high-quality fertiliser.

Anaerobic digestion breaks down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen, significantly reduces the volume and mass of organic waste material, and produces compost that can be used in agriculture to improve soil quality. Using anaerobic digestion as an alternative to landfill also helps avoid greenhouse gas emissions, and produces a methane-rich biogas that can be used in place of fossil fuels.

“This new facility will divert two million tonnes of waste from landfill over its estimated 25-year operational life and is evidence of Biffa’s commitment to create capacity in modern technology to transform waste into renewable energy,” said Andre Horbach, Biffa’s chief executive. “After an exhaustive evaluation of a number of technology suppliers we chose Ros Roca because of their extensive experience and proven track record throughout Europe in designing reliable and cost-effective large0scale industrial anaerobic digestion plants capable of handling a variety food and organic wastes.”

Biffa developed the UK’s first mixed biodegradable municipal waste anaerobic digestion plant in 2003. Located in Leicester, the facility generates 1.3 megawatts of renewable electricity each year.

Combined with its landfill gas operations, Biffa currently has installed capacity for the generation of 112 megawatts of renewable electricity.