Biffa Joins the List of Existing AD Plant Operators Planning Their Second Plants

Biffa Proposes Second Anaerobic Digestion Facility

News like this must surely be a wake-up call to all those just wondering whether to consider diving in and starting their own Anaerobic Digestion project? In this LetsRecycle announcement, Biffa, one of the UK's largest, if not the largest, waste management site operator is clearly voting for AD by this move. Here is part of the LetsRecycle article:

30-03-2009

Biffa Waste Services has announced plans to build an anaerobic digestion facility in the West Midlands capable of processing 80,000 tonnes of organic waste a year.


The High Wycombe-based waste management firm is set to submit a planning application to Staffordshire county council in the next few months to develop the facility at Cannock, in the South of the county. The plant will manage commercial and industrial waste, although there are currently no waste contracts in place.

Biffa explained that when the plant becomes operational in 2011, it would create 4 megawatts (MW) of electricity and 2MW of thermal heat a year alongside a high quality fertiliser for land restoration. It will also divert two million tonnes of waste from landfill over its 25-year operational life.

If approved, the Cannock facility will be the second anaerobic digestion facility built by Biffa after the firm's facility at Wanlip in Leicestershire and represents the company's latest move to establish itself as an energy rather than a waste disposal firm, following its takeover by private equity group WasteAcquisitionco in April 2008.

Andre Horbach, Biffa chief executive, said: "This is a step towards achieving our stated ambition to develop Biffa's energy-from-waste activities.

"It will build on the novel and unique expertise that Biffa has through the development of the UK's first operational Municipal Solid Waste AD plant in Leicester in 2003, which in itself generates 1.3MW annually," he added.

See the full Letsrecycle.com story here.