The Ellough AD plant will produce approximately 2,000 m3/hour of raw biogas and following an upgrading process, principally consisting of CO2 and trace contaminant gases removal, the plant will deliver 1,100 Nm3/hour of biomethane, equivalent to 12 MW/hour green energy to the natural gas grid, enough to supply the needs of 7,000 local homes. The potential carbon saving of the project will amount to as much as 21,000 tonnes per year.
The project will use locally produced energy crops to generate raw biogas and will deliver organic fertiliser back to local farmers.
“Injecting biomethane produced through anaerobic digestion into the gas grid has an array of benefits,” said FLI Energy’s managing director Declan McGrath. “It is one of the most efficient uses of biogas and reduces our reliance on imported fossil gas, thus contributing to meeting the UK’s renewable energy and climate change targets whilst improving our energy security. Biomethane from AD could potentially deliver 10% of the UK’s domestic gas demand.”
The Ellough project is developed and led by BioCore Environmental Ltd with Cambridge-based funding partner Eastern Counties Finance (ECF). FLI Energy’s contract covers a full Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) wrapped project delivery, including the design, construction and commissioning of the plant, as well as a five year maintenance and process analysis support contract. The contract scope includes detailed civil and process design, groundworks, site secondary containment bunding, drainage, silage clamp, digestate storage, AD plant technology, 500 kWe CHP, biogas upgrading, propane addition and biomethane network entry.
“This plant will provide a number of benefits to farmers in the region whilst contributing significant renewable energy to the local and national grid thus helping to meet the UK Government’s 20% renewable energy target by 2020,” said Peter Carey, Biocore Environmental’s director. “We are pleased to be working with FLI Energy to deliver this significant project”.