Small Scale Anaerobic Digestion Technology (SSAD-TECH) 'platform' project -CPI news item 24apr12
Chris Hodrien
News Anaerobic Digestion
Centre For Process Innovation (CPI), Wilton
1st February 2012 Last updated: 1st February 2012
New project to speed up the development and proving of small scale anaerobic digestion technologies
Anaerobic digestion has been cited by the government as a way of reducing carbon emission, providing energy security and generating green jobs. It is a vital tool in achieving a low carbon future, and feasibility studies confirm the market demand and acceptance of anaerobic digestion (AD) technology. The potential of this technology has only been within reach of large, profitable organisations, but a new project aimed at bringing cutting-edge AD technologies to rural and smaller scale businesses is being launched to combat this.
The Small Scale Anaerobic Digestion Technology (SSAD-TECH) platform provides underpinning process technology for the development of a series of commercial products for the local treatment of organic waste to produce energy (either as biogas, heat or electricity) and digestate, which can be considered as a non-fossil fuel derived fertiliser.
A five-strong consortium is led by The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) and comprises CNG Services Ltd, Lyvennet Renewable Energy, Wardell Armstrong LLP and Field Science Limited. With grant funding from the government-backed Technology Strategy Board, the project works with a total budget of £880,000 and will run over two years.
A part of the government’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult, CPI is home to existing anaerobic digestion development facilities and is ideally placed to coordinate, direct and deliver another successful project.
The small scale AD system will be designed to generate income and power for farms and food manufacturers, and also resolve the issue of biomass waste disposal. The project’s aim is to reduce capital costs of a small AD plant, while delivering a process capable of accepting biomass feed streams, saving significant land fill tariffs and generating power, and/or revenue from the sale of power, for the end user.
Studies have highlighted that there is an unmet market need for commercially viable AD plants at the 250kWe scale and below. The SSAD-TECH project will address these needs by looking at how various feedstocks behave in AD reactors. The aim is to accelerate the development of new technologies.
CPI Director of Sustainable Processing and Advanced Manufacturing, Dr Chris Dowle, says: “CPI is delighted to be leading in this project, which represents an excellent opportunity to drive the evolution of this key technology. Anaerobic digestion will play an important role in achieving a low carbon future, and the SSADTECH project makes the technology an achievable goal for smaller scale or rural businesses.”
Notes to Editors
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