Imtech Wins 14.5m Contract for 3MW Food Waste to Biogas AD Plant in Herts

UK biogas facility developer, Tamar Energy has awarded a £14.5 million contract to Imtech Water, Waste and Energy to build a 3MWe Anaerobic Digestion plant to process food waste in Hertfordshire. According to the developer, the plant located in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire will handle some 66,000 tonnes per year of unavoidable food waste, while generating enough energy to power 6,000 homes and producing 18,000 tonnes per year of renewable. The facility will include equipment to depackage waste materials, sanitisation systems that meet Animal By-Product regulations, equipment to clean the biogas prior to use by the gas engine generators, odour control equipment and a biological wastewater treatment plant that will enable the recycling of process water. Tamar Energy's strategy is to develop a UK network of up to 40 plants over the next five years. Imtech said that it was selected to deliver this project due to its track record of effective Engineering, procurement and construction delivery of renewable energy projects in the waste and water sectors. “The ex-power station site is exceptionally complex, with numerous challenges, including a flood plain location, ecological considerations, high pressure gas main through the centre of the site, adjacent 400kVa high voltage overhead power lines, in ground power lines and an adjacent historic asbestos landfill,” explained Tony Wilson, director of construction and operations at Tamar Energy. More projects in the pipeline The two companies are in discussion regarding a number of other projects in Tamar Energy’s pipeline. Prior to signing the contract, Imtech said that that it had been supporting Tamar Energy in Hertfordshire throughout the planning application process, enabling a fast-track development which will see the site exporting electricity prior to the Feed in Tarrif review in March 2015. Imtech will also support Tamar Energy throughout the plant commissioning process and plant optimisation activities. Read More UK Government U-Turn on Biogas FiTs for Small Scale Anaerobic Digestion The UK government’s u-turn on the Feed-in Tariff for energy produced by biogas from anaerobic digestion has been slammed by the industry. Big Role for Organic Waste if UK to Generate 44% of Energy from Biomass by 2050 nearly half of the UK’s energy requirements could be met by biomass sources, including household and agricultural wastes, according to scientists at the University of Manchester. Heavy Duty Chopper Gets Pumping at Welsh Food Waste to Biogas Facility Chopper pumps supplied by Danish manufacturer Landia have been installed at Biogen’s new £5M food waste facility to biogas biogas facility near Caernarfon in North Wales.