How it’s made

Embracing the circular economy

Curious about how our state-of-the-art Anaerobic Digestion plant works?

Agri-Food produced crops like straw, maize, sugar beet etc get’s processed in our biogas plants. These plants use anaerobic digestion (a fancy term for breaking stuff down without oxygen) to produce biogas. During this process, CO2 is captured as a co-product and gets purified and transformed into a renewable, eco-friendly resource.

It’s perfect for use in carbonation or as a gas for food manufacturing processes

By choosing CO2 from biogas plants, we’re not just talking sustainability – we’re doing it day after day.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting a circular economy means greener choices, smarter solutions. Together we can make a difference!

Step 1

Feedstock Input

First off, our feedstock is collected. All this stuff that might otherwise go to waste has a lot of potential energy locked inside it.

Step 1

Step 2

Pre-treatment

Before the real action starts, the feedstock often goes through a pre-treatment phase. This could involve crushing, blending, or removing any inorganic materials that might be mixed in, like plastics or metals.

Step 2

Step 3

Anaerobic Digestion

Now, the prepared feedstock is placed into a closed tank called a digester. In this oxygen-free environment, microorganisms get to work breaking down the organic material.

Step 3

Step 4

Biogas Production

As the microorganisms break down the organic matter, they release a mixture of gases, primarily methane and carbon dioxide, along with some other trace gases. This mix is called biogas.

Step 4

Step 5

Digestate

Once the digestion process is complete, what’s left over is called digestate. This material can be further processed into different forms, like liquid or solid. It’s rich in nutrients, making it an excellent fertilser for agricultural use and solids can be used as soil conditioners.

Step 5

Step 6

Utilising the Biogas

The biogas produced can be used in several ways. It might be burned directly in boilers to generate heat, or it can be used in combined heat and power (CHP) units to produce both electricity and heat. It can also be upgraded to biomethane, which is similar in quality to natural gas and can be injected into the gas grid or used as a vehicle fuel.

Step 6

Step 7

Post-Processing

Finally, the by-products and the quality of the biogas are monitored to ensure that everything is up to standard, and the system is functioning correctly.

Step 7

Not all gases are equal.

The difference between the two gases is the original source.

Natural Gas

The hidden cost beneath the surface.

Did you know that about half of the UK’s natural gas comes from beneath the North Sea and East Irish Sea?

The rest is shipped in or travels through vast pipelines from abroad. But here’s the catch: extracting, processing, and transporting natural gas isn’t just energy-intensive – it’s a major contributor to carbon emissions.

Even worse, methane leaks during these stages release staggering amounts of this supercharged greenhouse gas into our atmosphere. It’s a fuel with a hefty environmental price tag.

Biomethane

Let’s break it down.

Biomethane (aka renewable natural gas) is made by refining biogas.

How? Bacteria break down plants that have already absorbed Carbon from the atmosphere. Simple, right?

Here’s the cool part: this process uses less energy than digging up fossil fuels.

Plus, when use the correct food waste and use smart farming and production methods, biomethane has a tiny carbon footprint and almost no methane leaks.