Bore Hill Farm Biodigester Recognised for Operational Good Practice : First English Food Waste Facility to Pass Anaerobic Digestion Certification Scheme

Bore Hill Farm Biodigester, which recovers energy from inedible food in Wiltshire, UK has become the first English Anaerobic Digestion (AD) facility to be certified under a new scheme that recognises good operational, environmental, and health and safety performance.

The plant, based in Warminster, Wiltshire is run by Malaby Biogas and processes food waste to create biofertiliser and renewable heat and power. It generates enough green electricity to power 2500 houses.

The plant has been certified under the Anaerobic Digestion Certification Scheme (ADCS), an industry-led initiative designed to raise standards and recognise good practice in the running of AD plants. The scheme provides an independent audit process and report that help operators to ensure they are meeting required standards and identify areas for improvement.

The ADCS has been developed in collaboration with a range of industry stakeholders including regulators, insurers, investors, and operators, and is managed by the Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association (ADBA), the UK’s trade body for AD.

Bore Hill Farm becomes the second UK plant to be certified under the scheme following the certification of Granville EcoPark in Northern Ireland earlier this year.

“Seeing regulators and insurers so actively involved in the development of the ADCS has been encouraging and now we have the basis for them to help in supporting and promoting the scheme across the industry. This is a milestone we are proud of,” said Thomas Minter, Director of Malaby Biogas.

Nick Johnn, Director at Aardvark Certification Limited, the ADCS’s official certification body, added: “Mr Minter and the team at Malaby Biogas provide a great example of the high standards which can be achieved within the AD sector, from design and construction of a good AD plant through to operational practices which minimise health-and-safety and environmental risks.”

Charlotte Morton, Chief Executive of ADBA, commented: “We’re delighted to see the Bore Hill Farm Biodigester become the first English plant and the second in the UK to be certified under the ADCS, which is a vital scheme for making the UK AD industry a mature and thriving sector that delivers consistently excellent projects. ADBA will continue to speak to AD operators about the many benefits of the ADCS both for operators themselves and for the wider industry, including increased support from politicians, regulators, insurers, and investors.

Insurance

Malaby Biogas has also announced a new partnership with insurance brokers Jelf.

Minter said of the new partnership: “Jelf have been actively supporting the AD industry to achieve improved insurance cover and the ADCS has been an important component in achieving recognition for excellence in plant operations.”

Carl Gurney, Renewable Energy Director at Jelf, said that the signing of the new partnership with ADCS also demonstrates the company’s continuing support for those working to sustain and strengthen the UK’s anaerobic digestion and biogas sector.

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