Prince Charles in biogas-to-grid first

Poundbury, UK – The Prince of Wales will today open the country’s first full-scale anaerobic digester and biomethane-to-grid plant, which will provide renewable gas direct to the local community in Poundbury, Dorset.

The plant, which will have capacity to supply enough renewable gas for up to 56,000 homes, is claimed to be the first plant in the UK to inject renewable gas directly into the local distribution network on a full-scale basis.

The plant has already been generating renewable electricity since April, and over the course of a year will export enough electricity for approximately 500 homes.

The anaerobic digester is owned and run by J V Energen, a joint venture between local farmers and the Duchy of Cornwall. The JV was set up to provide a renewable energy solution for the Duchy’s development at Poundbury.

Scotia Gas Networks, which runs Southern Gas Networks - responsible for the local gas distribution network - was contracted by J V Energen to clean up the biogas produced by the AD and inject the resulting biomethane directly into the gas network.

The AD unit at Rainbarrow Farm, will produce this biogas from approximately 41,000 tonnes of maize, grass silage and food waste each year.

The fuel will be sourced from local farms and businesses, including Dorset Cereals and the House of Dorchester Chocolate Factory, both based in Poundbury, and Express Potatoes from Weymouth.

As well as providing an environmentally friendly waste disposal option and reducing levels of waste being sent to landfill, the plant produces a net carbon saving of around 4,435 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions a year.

The Duchy of Cornwall started looking at sustainable energy solutions for Poundbury in 2008 and work began in June 2011 on the AD plant.

The digester to generate electricity was developed with technology supplied by German company Agraferm, which has built around 50 AD plants across Europe. This phase of the plant was completed in February 2012 and electrical generation began at the end of March.

Phase two involved work with Scotia Gas Networks for the clean-up and treatment of the raw biogas to produce biomethane followed by the injection of this gas into the local network.

The construction and operation of the plant has and will continue to support local businesses including groundwork operators, builders, electricians, pump specialists, fencing contractors, engineering companies and suppliers of seeds and feedstock coverings.

“Greening the gas, by connecting distributed sources of renewable gas to our network as we are in Poundbury, is at the heart of our long-term vision of an enduring and sustainable gas network. It’s a key part of our strategy, and also central to decarbonising the UK’s heat supplies,” said John Morea, CEO of Scotia Gas Networks.

According to local farmer Nick Finding growing maize for the AD plant means “we can produce much more energy per acre and we no longer have to send crops abroad to convert into biodiesel. Growing energy crops is an important additional income stream for local farmers like me.”

Welcoming the official opening Charlotte Morton, chief executive of the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association (ADBA), said: “The UK’s first successful commercial-scale gas-to-grid plant is an exciting development, demonstrating the ability of the AD industry to deliver large volumes of green gas into the grid for use today.

“Biomethane is strategically important for the UK economy and energy markets, delivering on the government’s key objectives for both energy security and economic growth.”

According to the ADBA, AD could generate £2-3bn worth of green gas - equivalent to more than 10% of the UK’s domestic gas demand - and support 35,000 jobs.

The Poundbury plant demonstrates that biomethane to grid technology works at commercial scale now, believes David Smith, chief executive of Energy Networks Association, which represents UK electricity and gas transmissions and distribution networks.

“With 10 more plants scheduled to come online in the next 12 months, biomethane from AD should be recognised as the serious commercial energy proposition that it is,” Smith commented.