Perthshire-based organics recycler, Earnside Energy, has secured a contract with waste management broker, New Star Environmental Limited of Buckingham, to process retail food waste in Scotland.
As part of the contract, food waste is collected by Earnside Energy and recycled at its ‘state-of-the-art’ anaerobic digestion (AD) facility in Glenfarg.
Earnside Energy’s anaerobic digestion tanks
Earnside Energy operates both an AD and in-vessel composting plants at its Glenfarg site. The AD plant has been recently expanded and can now process 30,000 tonnes per annum of food waste, producing up to 2.3 MW of electrical power.
The Glenfarg site first became involved in food waste recycling in 2010 when it was announced that the TEG Group was to build its first AD plant at Glenfarg in a joint venture with investment firm Albion Ventures. Then it was allocated £700,000 of funding by Zero Waste Scotland for capital works. TEG went into administration in 2014.
Contract
At Glenfarg, Earnside the food waste from the New Star contract is depackaged in automated plants and then processed through the digesters. The digesters convert the food waste into biogas, which is used to generate electricity, and a liquid fertiliser – digestate. The electricity is sold onto the national grid.
Earnside Energy is managed by consultancy business Powerhouse Management. The company pointed out that it is now a legal obligation in Scotland that virtually all food waste producers must make the waste available for recycling.
And, the Earnside AD facility has earned a reputation as a “highly efficient, high performing plant, achieving over 90% efficiency,” the company claimed.
‘Delighted’
Commenting on the contract, Mick Fishwick, director of Earnside Energy, who was also the chief executive of TEG, said: “We are delighted to have secured our first contract with New Star Environmental and to be able to provide them with a valuable service in Scotland, recycling their food waste into energy and a high-quality fertiliser.”
One of the CHP engines at the site in Glenfarg
Earnside is also backed by investor Albion Capital, which funded the expansion.
The facility now includes two depackaging plants, three digesters, a large digestate storage facility and two CHP engines generating power. The digestate is PAS110 accredited and is sold to local farmers.
Mr Fishwick added: “We are delighted that Albion has continued to invest in the Glenfarg facility. The AD plant has been a consistent high performer, offering a secure and unrivalled service to our customers. With a capacity of 30,000 tonnes per annum we can now expand our service to help more clients recycle their food waste from landfill.”
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
