Monsal will supply the Anaerobic Digestion (AD) technology platform for a significant on-site Farm AD project in the UK.
Monsal will supply the Anaerobic Digestion (AD) technology platform for a significant on-site Farm AD project in the UK.
The pioneering £2.5 million farm-based power plant in rural Lancashire is being developed by leading green energy specialist Farmgen. The project is the first phase in Farmgens £30 million investment to create the biggest Anaerobic Digestion ‘energy farming’ expansion programme in the country.
The plant, which will supply enough electricity to power more than 1,000 homes, is now under construction and is set to become operational next year.
The industry’s latest technology and know-how will be supplied to the Carr Farm project by leading UK process and technology business Monsal. The project will be delivered by a consortium which includes a number of leading members of the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association (ADBA).
Based in the East Midlands, Monsal has unrivalled experience in the sector and has been involved in more than 200 AD projects over the past 14 years. Monsal also has the largest team of ‘biogas-to-energy’ technology specialists in the country. Other members of the consortium include Kirk Environmental, a specialist company manufacturing AD tanks and Edina, one of the country’s leading renewable power generation specialists, which will supply the plant’s generation equipment. Both are based in the North West of England.
The new AD plant will also use crops from nearby fields grown by Green Energy Farmers Ltd, to create the ‘biogas’. The overall consortium also includes water-treatment experts Eimco Water Technologies Ltd, based in Tonbridge, Kent who will provide a full EPC Wrap.
Aidan Cumiskey, Managing Director of Monsal said: “The farm sector has up until now relied on an imported AD technology platform. There was a clear need to have a well resourced UK based supply chain in place to service this specific market. Monsal have worked closely with Farmgen to set up a supply chain to meet demand right across the farm based biogas to energy sector”. “ This initiative taken by leading members of ADBA to formulate this consortium demonstrates our commitment to creating a valuable resource for the farming community –a technology platform, operational capability and services support all delivered from UK based suppliers”. “We have developed this in response to market feedback which indicated that having a wholly UK based supply chain and support structure was a key requirement to securing funding for farm based projects.
The technology will be delivered under a robust EPC Wrap structure which provides the required bonding and warrant arrangements sought after by financiers. This coupled with our proven AD technology platform will provide significant capability to meet the market demands”. Ed Cattigan, chief operating officer of Farmgen, said: “We are delighted to have brought together such a strong team of British experts for the Carr Farm project. “The expertise now involved is second to none and is another sign of our commitment to the industry and our belief in its strong future in the UK, backed by British technology, skills manufacturing and engineering expertise. “These firms are leading the way in AD with cutting-edge technology and each brings their knowledge, skills and enthusiasm for the sector to this project. “We are also pleased at the way the consortium came together through the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association, which is a strong voice for the industry in the UK.”