ReFood UK plant approaches completion

Construction of the UK’s first ReFood anaerobic digestion plant has reached its final stages ahead of its official opening on September 9th.
The digestate tanks, engines, heat recovery boiler and grid connection to provide renewable energy to the National Grid are all now in place and the plant is currently being commissioned.
With all the key components now in place, ReFood is focusing on developing the optimum conditions to allow the anaerobic digestion process to take place. This involves feeding the tanks with digestate from another AD plant and adding organic material to facilitate the growth of bacteria that will break down the food waste and produce fertiliser, heat and biogas.
Paul Morris, ReFood operations director, comments: “It’s exciting to see the plant in its very final stages. Next begins the complex process of ensuring that we have the right mixture and conditions to ensure that the plant will work to maximum efficiency.”
Developing the correct level and conditions of bacteria will take approximately one month and the plant will take food waste from local businesses, shops and restaurants from early October.
Once fully operational, the £12million plant will recycle 45,000 tonnes of food waste and produce 2.8 MWh of renewable electricity and heat – enough to power 5,000 homes.